Its mass adoption has also raised concerns about data security and privacy.
The mass adoption of WhatsApp’s messaging service has raised concerns about data security and privacy. Although end-to-end encryption protects the content of messages, there are additional settings that can further protect personal information. Setting these parameters correctly is key to avoiding vulnerabilities and improving the user experience.
Although this application offers various options for controlling the visibility of certain data, many users do not configure them properly, which can expose sensitive information. Aspects such as the visibility of the profile photo, the last connection or the online status can be used by third parties for unwanted purposes. Therefore, it is essential to review and customize the privacy settings to minimize risks and ensure greater security on the platform.
Four settings to improve your privacy
1. Control who can add you to groups
One of the most annoying practices on the messaging platform is being added to groups without prior notice, which in some cases can expose personal information to strangers. To avoid this, the application offers the option of managing who can add the user to a group without their consent.
To adjust this setting, the person must go to ‘Settings’, ‘Privacy’, ‘Groups’ and ‘Select from the available options: ‘Everyone’, ‘My contacts’ or ‘My contacts, except…’. The last option allows certain contacts to be blocked so that they cannot add the user to groups without prior permission.
2. Set up who can see your personal account information
Another aspect that adds to the previous one has to do with the information that users share publicly, such as the last time they were online or their profile photo. To prevent strangers or unwanted people from accessing this information, the application allows you to restrict the visibility of this data.
To configure these settings, the user must go to ‘Settings’, ‘Privacy’ and then select ‘Last time and Online’. In this option, they can choose whether this information is visible to everyone, only to contacts, to some specific contacts or to no one. The same applies to the profile photo, thus ensuring that only trusted people can access this information.
3. Activate two-step verification
To improve security on WhatsApp, activating two-step verification adds an additional layer of protection by requiring a six-digit PIN code when the user tries to register the phone number on a new device.
To enable this option, go to ‘Settings’, ‘Account’, ‘Two-Step Verification’ and follow the instructions. Experts recommend setting up a recovery email address to avoid problems if you forget the code. This setting significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your account by third parties.
4. Why you should disable read receipts on WhatsApp
When someone does not reply to a message on WhatsApp, the iconic blue ticks indicate that the content has been read. However, some users prefer to keep their activity in the app more discreet and prevent others from knowing when they check their conversations. To do this, the platform allows you to modify certain settings that increase privacy in this regard.
To deactivate read receipts, simply go to the ‘Settings’ menu, go to the ‘Privacy’ section and uncheck the corresponding option. However, it is important to bear in mind that this function is reciprocal, since by hiding the reading of messages, you also lose the possibility of seeing if others have read yours. Furthermore, this configuration does not apply to group chats or voice messages, where confirmations will remain active.
