WhatsApp May Soon Stop Users From Screenshotting Your Profile Picture
WhatsApp may be working on a way to block users from screenshotting your profile picture.
The popular Meta-owned global messaging app is reportedly improving users’ privacy with a new feature currently in beta testing.
According to a report by WABetaInfo on Tuesday, WhatsApp will be rolling out a new feature through the Google Play Beta Program which will prevent any attempt to screenshot a user’s profile picture.
If an individual tries to screenshot a profile photo on WhatsApp, the attempt will be met with a black screen and a message reading: “Can’t take a screenshot due to app restrictions.”
WABetaInfo says it discovered this new feature after installing the latest WhatsApp beta v2.24.4.25 for the Android 2.24.4.25 update, which is available on the Google Play Store.
Therefore, the feature of being able to block screenshots of profile photos should now be available to some users on the beta for Android version. Screenshot blocking will reportedly be available to more users over the coming weeks.
Increased User Privacy
WhatsApp currently lets users hide their profile image via the “Profile Photo” option in the “Privacy” menu in the app’s “Settings.” There are detailed options for restricting people from viewing a user’s profile picture.
WhatsApp users can restrict “Everyone,” “Nobody,” and “My contacts” from seeing their profile picture. There is also the ability to hide the image from selected people in their contacts.
According to WABetaInfo, WhatsApp first introduced this privacy option to stop users from saving “others’ profile photos” about five years ago.
It was intended to prevent bad actors from sharing and downloading personal images without the WhatsApp owner’s consent. However, screenshotting a profile picture entirely bypasses this and undermines the intended privacy protection.
WhatsApp’s new screenshot-blocking feature tackles this directly. WABetaInfo argues that directly blocking the ability to screenshot allows WhatsApp to further reinforce “the concept of user privacy and consent” on its service.
However, Phone Arena points out that users could still capture a WhatsApp profile picture using a secondary device. But this new feature certainly makes it significantly harder to casually share profile pictures, protecting user privacy.
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.
