Whatsapp is introducing three features.
The Meta-owned messaging service is allowing users on both Android and Apple devices to mute or message individuals during group calls, which will make it simpler to have side chats during group calls. In addition, any user can mute anyone during a call.
WhatsApp have also added a banner notification when someone joins a call offscreen, which is believed to be helpful as now 32 people can take part in one call on the app.
The features - which are currently being lifted out beta stages - also include customisations to who can see your profile photo, about section and Last Seen status in the Privacy tab of Settings.
Will Cathcart, the app’s boss wrote on Twitter: “Some new features for group calls on @WhatsApp: You can now mute or message specific people on a call (great if someone forgets to mute themselves!), and we've added a helpful indicator so you can more easily see when more people join large calls.”
Last week, Will praised the European Union’s rules for encrypted messaging services.
He tweeted: “The new EU Code of Practice on Disinformation explicitly rejects any weakening of encryption and highlights the importance of the protection of privacy for private messaging. This is a great model: take meaningful steps on misinformation while defending people's privacy.”
Will was quote-tweeting a message from the EU Commission’s Vice-President for Values and Transparency, Vera Jourova that read: “Our new anti-disinformation Code marks a new stage of our comprehensive answer to #disinformation. We now have tough commitments to reduce #disinformation impact online robust tools to ensure compliance across the EU and in all languages.”
