Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed the new feature in a Facebook post. (Image: Facebook/Mark Zuckerberg)
WhatsApp’s parent company Meta has introduced Chat Lock as an additional security feature that aims to provide users with an additional layer of security for their private conversations.
Meta-owned messaging app WhatsApp on Monday unveiled its new feature called ‘Chat Lock’, which is designed to enhance user privacy. This feature securely hides conversations in a password-protected folder, ensuring that notifications don’t reveal the sender or message content.
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s founder, president and CEO, confirmed the new feature in a Facebook post, saying, “They are hidden in a password protected folder and the notifications will not show the sender or message content.”
The Chat Lock feature will move a chat thread out of the app’s main inbox and into a dedicated folder accessible only through a password or biometric authentication, such as facial recognition or fingerprint scanning. The new feature ensures enhanced security and privacy for users’ confidential conversations.
As part of its comprehensive privacy package, Meta enables WhatsApp users to encrypt their backups, restrict screenshot capabilities, and automatically disappear messages.
UK online safety bill
The new feature comes after the US social media giant opposed Britain’s proposed online security bill, claiming it would “undermine the privacy” of users worldwide. The UK government has a proposal for tech firms to assist law enforcement agencies in combating child sexual abuse on their platforms. Concerns over privacy and surveillance.
WhatsApp was among other messaging services that issued an open letter last month demanding an “urgent reconsideration” of the law.
WhatsApp said in an open letter on its blog page on April 17, “The UK government is currently considering new legislation that would try to force technology companies to break end-to-end encryption on private messaging services.” Opens the door to.”
Signed by WhatsApp head Will Cathcart and the owners of other messaging services including Signal and Wire, the letter said: “We do not think any company, government or individual should have the power to read your personal messages and we stand by the protection of encryption.” Will continue to do so.” technology.”
Several industry leaders, including OPTF/Session, Threema, Viber and Element, have signed a letter opposing the legislation.
The letter argues that the proposed laws could lead to widespread and indiscriminate surveillance of personal messages, which could affect a variety of individuals, including friends, family members, journalists, human rights activists and politicians. It stresses that such measures will reduce everyone’s ability to communicate securely and calls for amendments to the law to prioritize privacy and security.
The letter’s signatories and industry leaders are urging the UK government to reconsider its approach, insisting on preserving encryption, protecting privacy and avoiding mass surveillance of private communications.
Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded to the row by stating he “will not introduce regular scanning of private communications”.
While the state “supports strong encryption, it cannot come at the expense of public safety”, Sunak’s spokesman said.
(With inputs from AFP)