Recently, WhatsApp dropped three new features related to giving users better control of their privacy on the platform, and one of them is called Online Presence Control. It is an addition to the array of privacy protections on WhatsApp, such as disappearing messages, two-step verification, hiding profile information from select users and more.
Online Presence Control came with two other features: Screenshot Blocking for View Once Messages and Leave Groups Silently. As the names suggest, the former prevents the receiver from capturing a view once a message is in a screenshot. The latter enables users to leave a group without notifying anyone but the admin. Both these features should be available for users soon.
On Aug. 9, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform announced Online Presence Control, a feature that allows users to check their WhatsApp privately without informing users that they are online. Essentially, the Online Presence Control feature will enable users to control the Online status that reflects beneath their name when they actively use WhatsApp. Using the new feature, users can not only hide their Online status but select who can see it and who can’t, just like hiding their last seen status from specific users on WhatsApp. However, while hiding their Online status, WhatsApp users can still send and receive messages from others using the app.
How Does Online Presence Control Work
As seen in the screenshot shared by WhatsApp, the Online Presence Control feature seems to regulate Last Seen and the Online status. When the feature rolls out, users should head over to the Settings section by tapping on the three dots in the top right corner (Android) or tapping on the Settings icon at the bottom right (iOS) and selecting Privacy. Then they should choose the new option, ‘Last seen and online.’ Here, users can adjust who can see their Last Seen and simultaneously set the visibility of their Online status to ‘Everyone’ or ‘Same as last seen.’ For instance, if users want to hide their Online Status from a particular contact, they should select the ‘My contact except…’ option under ‘Who can see my last seen’ and ‘Same as last seen’ under ‘Who can see I’m online.’
As mentioned in the official blog post, Online Presence Control should be available for all users on Android and iOS by the end of this month. This feature was first spotted under development last month when WABetaInfo published a report. In addition, users can block the contact if they do not want to message or receive messages at all. Another feature that the platform is working on is Group Membership Approval. As the name suggests, the feature would allow WhatsApp group admins to approve or reject joining requests by users.
