WhatsApp introduced a new privacy feature that would black out a screen whenever you or other users try to take a screenshot of profile photos on the app. Through this recent update, profile photo screenshots would no longer work on WhatsApp, essentially blocking all the photo-grabbing instances that could be used for scams or rampant fraudulent activities.
It was not addressed by WhatsApp what is the main purpose of this block, and the feature is not yet final as there are some caveats to this security feature.
WhatsApp Disables Profile Photo Screenshots
Android Police shared a new privacy feature on WhatsApp which it discovered on the Android version of the app, and it now disabled profile photo screenshots of users on the platform. Attempting to make a copy of others' profile photos would give users an error message and the screenshot they took would turn black, not showing the image supposedly grabbed from the app.
However, others tried this screenshot that had no warning messages on the screen, only a blank image that would be saved on their gallery.
That being said, this new addition seems not to be in its final form yet as it gives users various results, one with a warning message, and for others, without.
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Screen Turns Black for Profile Photo Grabs
9to5 Google said that it is not entirely foolproof, as this only works when users attempt to screen grab the image when the profile photo is viewed in full screen. For those who are taking a screenshot of the inbox or a profile preview, they may still get away with a clear image of the said contact, but would be a lower-resolution result.
Moreover, WhatsApp is among the first to introduce this as rival platforms like Signal Messenger and Telegram do not have it.
WhatsApp and its Security Features
Last year, Meta added a new security feature to WhatsApp that addresses the need to enter one's password whenever logging in again on the app. Through the Passkeys integration on WhatsApp, users would only need to log in with their passwords once, and after setting up the experience, they may soon re-login via biometrics like Facial Recognition or Fingerprint sensors, depending on their device.
Additionally, WhatsApp added an option for sending voice messages to users, as they could choose to set it to "View Once" and would disappear after the played message ends. This View Once feature for the photos and video media on WhatsApp has been available since 2021, with the latest update adding another layer of privacy for users sharing information with their contacts on the platform.
Several security boosts were added by WhatsApp to enhance more of their users' experience on the instant messaging platform, alongside its end-to-end encryption and more. In this new update, WhatsApp for Android removes the ability to screenshot profile photos from users on the platform, and while it is not exactly foolproof, it is a start for a more private experience.
