WhatsApp has introduced the Strict Account Settings feature aimed at bolstering account security. This announcement follows recent comments from Elon Musk, who has ridiculed WhatsApp’s approach to privacy on X (formerly Twitter). According to a blog post from WhatsApp, this feature targets high-risk users, including public figures, who are particularly susceptible to spyware and hacking attempts.
Highlights
What are Strict Account Settings?
The Strict Account Settings feature will enter a Lockdown Mode, limiting users from accessing media and attachments sent by unknown or non-contact individuals. To enable this functionality, users should navigate to the app’s Settings, proceed to Privacy, and then select Advanced. Activating the Strict Account Settings can significantly enhance protection against cyber threats.
Enhanced Security with New Programming Language
Additionally, the blog post highlighted WhatsApp’s incorporation of a new programming language called Rust, which is designed to safeguard photos, videos, and messages from potential spyware. Essentially, this new code ensures that all media, including videos, is securely shared and displayed uniformly across various devices, regardless of the platform utilised.
Ongoing Debate Over Privacy
While Meta continues to enhance security measures for WhatsApp users, Elon Musk has persistently questioned the app’s data privacy strategies and promotes X’s newly launched messaging service, XChat. In a post on X, Musk stated that WhatsApp is not secure and accused the application of misleading its users about the presence of end-to-end encryption.
XChat’s Privacy Features
Regarding XChat, its privacy offerings encompass end-to-end encryption, a four-digit PIN for accessing the chat interface, disappearing messages, and other functionalities. With these improved chat privacy features, XChat directly competes with Meta’s WhatsApp, adding to Musk’s reasons for ridiculing the app.