Mark Zuckerberg revealed three new privacy features on Facebook in August: banning screenshots, blocking prior participants, and online status. In relation to the aforementioned news, we learned that WhatsApp is introducing a new version of view-once images and videos to stop users from taking screenshots or screen recordings of them, and it is accessible for select beta testers who install the most recent beta from the Play Store!
It is black, as you can see in this screenshot. In fact, some beta testers are no longer able to record their screens and snap screenshots to access previously saved photographs or videos. Due to security policy, you cannot often capture a screenshot and a toast will appear instead. However, even if some individuals were to utilize third-party addons to get around the security policy, the image would always be black. You should be aware of the following if the functionality is activated for your WhatsApp account:
- When someone takes a screenshot, it is never notified to the recipient but the attempt to take a screenshot is immediately blocked for added privacy.
- The attempt to record the screen when opening a view once image or video is also blocked by default.
- You can still take screenshots of conversations even if they contain some disappearing messages since the new feature is only limited to view once images and videos.
- You cannot forward, export, or save, view once images and videos as always.
- The recipient may still take a photo by using a secondary mobile device so you should always be careful when sending view once messages.
WhatsApp keeps working on strengthening the identification of those attempts to surreptitiously grab screenshots, and further improvements may be forthcoming in the future. The new version of view once photos and videos is currently available to a small number of beta testers and will be made available to additional users during the ensuing weeks.
