WhatsApp, a messaging software, is within the information for testing new options. Quickly after Android, the corporate is now creating a characteristic to limit customers from taking screenshots from profile photographs on iOS, in response to WABetaInfo. The report famous the characteristic is below growth within the iOS beta ‘24.10.10.70’ construct.
As noticed within the TestFlight construct program, the ‘Screenshot blocking’ characteristic will not be rolling out to beta testers. The corporate was testing the same characteristic for Android customers in February 2024. This new characteristic might help restrict the unauthorised sharing and distribution of those photos and enhance privateness.
Just like the now-live beta characteristic on Android, the corporate might introduce the performance to iOS customers, as noticed within the TestFlight app. “To guard everybody’s privateness on WhatsApp, this display screen seize has been blocked,” the textual content of “Display seize blocked” stated. This dialogue field will likely be launched in an upcoming model for iPhones to inform customers that the seize was blocked to respect the privateness of WhatsApp accounts.
The brand new possibility will assist restrict the sharing of an individual’s profile picture by way of the medium of in-app screengrabs. Plus, it could possibly additionally limit sharing of profile photographs with out the consent of the involved person. Nonetheless, different mediums, resembling recording by way of one other machine’s digital camera or display screen recorder should be robust to restrict for WhatsApp.
Nonetheless, the presence of the characteristic will nonetheless assist restrict the straightforward sharing of WhatsApp DPs throughout contacts on WhatsApp or by way of different mediums. This may restrict the sharing of non-public identifiers of a contact or misuse of somebody’s profile image to an extent. This characteristic testing comes amid the rise of AI-generated deepfake photos on the web and its evolving dangers.
Whereas the characteristic could not supply swift safety in opposition to threats, the brand new step may very well be an try to dam entry to straightforward picture seize and reinforce the platform’s privateness commitments. For context, the corporate reportedly blocked the choice to let customers save show footage of an account 5 years in the past.
