WhatsApp Introduces New Feature 'Channels' for Select Organizations

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature called "Channels," which allows users to receive important updates from select organizations within the app.

This new feature aims to provide a simple, reliable, and private way for users to stay informed. Channels will be accessible through a separate tab called "Updates," alongside the existing Status feature.

One-way Broadcast Tool

Channels function as a one-way broadcast tool, allowing administrators to send various types of content, including text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls.

To help users discover relevant channels, WhatsApp is developing a searchable directory featuring a wide range of categories such as hobbies, sports teams, and updates from local officials.

Users can access channels through invite links shared in chats, emails, or online posts. Admins' phone numbers and profile photos will not be visible to followers, and following a channel will not reveal the user's phone number to the admin or other followers. The decision of whom to follow remains entirely private.

To align with their approach to messaging, WhatsApp will not store channel history on their servers for more than 30 days.

Additionally, they will introduce features to make updates disappear even faster from followers' devices. Admins will also have the ability to block screenshots and forwards from their channels.

WhatsApp recognizes the need for channel admins to control their audience and visibility. Therefore, admins can choose who can follow their channel and decide whether it should be discoverable in the directory.

While channels are not end-to-end encrypted by default, WhatsApp acknowledges that there are cases where end-to-end encryption to a limited audience, such as nonprofit organizations or health groups, might be beneficial. They are exploring this possibility for future implementation.

To launch Channels, WhatsApp will collaborate with leading global voices and select organizations in Colombia and Singapore. This collaboration will provide valuable insights to refine and enhance the channel experience.

In the coming months, WhatsApp plans to expand its Channels to more countries, allowing anyone to create a channel.

Furthermore, WhatsApp believes there is an opportunity to support admins by enabling them to build a business around their channel, leveraging the platform's expanding payment services.

They also plan to introduce the option of promoting certain channels in the directory to increase awareness.

New Edit Feature

The introduction of Channels is a significant step that users have been requesting for years, and WhatsApp believes that the time is right to provide a simple, reliable, and private broadcast tool.

In addition to the Channels feature, WhatsApp has also rolled out an edit feature for sent messages. Users now have the ability to edit their sent messages within fifteen minutes of sending them.

This feature allows users to correct mistakes or provide additional context to their messages. Edited messages will be labeled as "edited" to inform recipients of the correction without revealing the edit history.

The edit feature is gradually being made available to users worldwide and will be accessible to everyone in the coming weeks.