TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, announced a new feature WhatsApp, called WhatsApp Channels. This feature is intended as a private way to follow people or organizations that users deem important, still on WhatsApp.
“We are starting it in Singapore and Colombia, but soon we will share it with everyone this year,” Zuckerberg said via social media account. FacebookThursday 8 June 2023.
In the explanation shared later by WhatsApp, the Channels feature is created in a new tab called Updates or Updates in the previous position for the Status tab. Instead, in the Updates or Updates tab the user will find Status and Channels that are indeed selected to be followed.
“This new tab called Updates is separate from your chats with family, friends and the community,” WhatsApp said in a statement.
Further explained, Channels or Channels is a one-way broadcast feature for admins to send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls. To help users choose the Channels they want to follow, WA has created a directory where users can find hobbies, sports teams, the latest information from local authorities and many others.
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“You can also follow a Channel from an invite link sent in a chat, email, or posted online.”
According to WhatsApp, this new feature is provided while protecting the personal information of admins and followers. As a Channel admin, their phone number and profile photo will not be shown to followers.
Vice versa, the member’s phone number will also not be disclosed to admins and other followers when he/she follows a Channel. “Whoever you follow is a completely personal decision for you,” WhatsApp said.
Similar to the way it makes the process of sending messages, WhatsApp believes that updates in Channels don’t have to be there forever. Whatsapp says it will only store Channel history on servers for up to 30 days and promises to add a way to get rid of updates faster from follower devices.
Admins will also have the option to block screenshots and forwarded messages from their Channel. Admins will also be given the ability to decide who can follow their Channel and whether they want their Channel to be discoverable in the directory or not.
Given that the aim of Channels is to reach a broad audience, WhatsApp does not perform end-to-end encryption by default. However, be aware there are cases where end-to-end encrypted channels for a limited audience may be applicable, such as nonprofits or healthcare organizations. “We are exploring this as an option in the future.”
To launch Channels with these options, WhatsApp said it is excited to work with leading global voices and select organizations in Colombia and Singapore, where Channels will first be available. Not only to create, learn and adapt these new experiences, but also to explore opportunities to support admins by providing a way for them to build a business around their channel through the WhatsApp payments service.
“Creating a Channel is a big step our users have been asking for years. We felt the time was right to introduce a broadcast feature that is simple, reliable and private,” WhatsApp said.
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