WhatsApp has introduced a new privacy setting and invite system that will help users to decide who can add them to groups, Dawn reported.

According to the details, the tech giant Facebook in a statement said, “WhatsApp groups continue to connect family, friends, coworkers, classmates and more. As people turn to groups for important conversations, users have asked for more control over their experience. Today, we’re introducing a new privacy setting and invite system to help you decide who can add you to groups”.

With the new control features, users will have more control over the group messages they receive. The press release also said that these new privacy settings will begin rolling out to some users starting today and will be available worldwide in the coming days to those using the latest version of WhatsApp”.

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How to enable new settings:

To enable them,

  • Go to settings in the app.
  • Tap account > privacy > groups
  • Select one of three options: ‘everyone’, ‘my contacts’, or ‘my contacts except’.

“The users will have three days to accept the invite before it expires,” the statement said.

Media Matters for Democracy Director Sadaf Khan welcomed the decision, saying: “Developing new ways to increase consumers’ control is a positive step.”

She also expressed the hope that WhatsApp will continue to empower consumers with tools that help them define their own information experience in “an active and informed manner”.