To ask you about these new WhatsApp privacy settings

[oatmilkicedchai]

Does anyone know when the new WhatsApp privacy settings are coming in?

I am waiting to be able to change my settings so that no-one can see when I am online. Best privacy update ever IMO! Does mean can also no longer spy on a partner we might be suspicious of though haha. Yes I have trust issues but am currently single.

Anyway, I would just like to be able to be online writing and reading messages without other friends wondering why my status is online, I find it pressured and anxiety-inducing.

Anyone know when the new feature kicks in?

I have an iPhone

Yes it means they haven't been on WhatsApp since 5th August.

Perhaps they have a new number / lost their phone ?

Maybe they have been taken ill? If I were you I would check on them, because its unusual to be inactive for a month unless you are someone who rarely uses WhatsApp ordinarily

Here's hoping!

I cant wait for when we can hide if we're online or not 😂 One, so i can be online without feeling obliged to reply. Two, so i stop getting upset if someones online and hasnt replied to me 😂 but then its literally imessage isnt it 🤔😂

Same here! For both those reasons!! I find the visible online status to be quite anxiety-inducing.

You're right - will feel a lot more like iMessage, although if someone doesn't have an iPhone you can't tell if your text message has been delivered through iMessage, so I guess there's that. And you could still elect to have read receipts on, and even your online status will still be viewable to certain contacts, if you set it up to be that way. Just gives us more choice really

@oatmilkicedchai yes I am totally sure. For a few reasons. I actually posted about this at the time and a few people finally came on who corroborated my story. I assure you it is correct. There were people I used to be able to see as online but now can’t and I know they don’t have my work number but i can see them as online from my personal phone where they do have my personal number. I have checked simultaneously so I know it to be true/

Yes, I read that strangers not being allowed to see your online status was a newer feature, but tbh I don't speak to strangers? Even if they're new to me, like a new client, I then save their contact as I like to know who I'm talking to 😂 so it's not exactly a useful feature

I wish they’d do privacy options for individual contacts.

I think the update will allow for this, I read there will be a toggle for each contact

Ooh interesting thanks @NippyWoowoo

No that I ignore certain people or anything. 😂

Will there be something in the app to say they've been released?

Wondering if some WhatsApp smart people can help me?

I understand the whole last seen / online difference so it's not that (but also excited for the new private function!) However, how accurate is the 'online' status? Ie if im chatting to someone, they wish me goodnight & say they are "going to sleep" 🤔but they constantly show as being online for the next 3 hours despite 'being asleep' then eventually it goes blank (I have my last seen switched off so can't see last seen)

When asked about it they said they went to sleep when they said goodnight, didn't spend 3hrs online on whstapp. The app must have been running in the background or some WiFi / whatsapp glitch??? But it definitely wasn't them online.

I have been gaslight in the past and am sure of what I seen. I. Just wondering how possible the glitch problem is to show online for extra 3hrs when it's being totally denied.

Google throws up a whole range of answers, but I just wanted some MN advice of what the probability is I'm been gaslit about whatsapp usage?*

Thanks

I wouldn't even have cared if he had of said TableDesk I'm on chatting to my mate on whatsapp & I'll speak to you tomorrow instead of saying he wasn't online at all...🙄

Yeah I'm inclined to think he's lying (hence the posts higher up saying that men have been discovered to be cheating due to taking their phone into the toilet then going 'online').

My friend and I sat next to each other recently to test the online feature (both iPhones). I sent her a message, she opened it and immediately went 'online'.

It's hard to describe the next bit, but she then did that thing where you come out of the app but all your apps are displayed? So you can chose another app or swipe to close them etc? The word for it escapes me.

She was still showing as 'online' even though she wasn't actually on WhatsApp. But once she chose another app she went offline.

The only other explanation I could think of is if they have WhatsApp web open on a desktop or laptop.

This.

Maybe it's because I'm an old 30-something (lol at the PP who said this 😉) but I couldn't give a toss who can see when I'm online. I'll reply in my own time TYVM.

HOWEVER being able to leave a dry group chat without it being announced is a game changer.

So ios 16 is out, still can't find out how to hide my online status.

WhatsApp isn't linked to iOS updates

Just to update anyone who doesn't know already, last night I checked WhatsApp settings and am now able to hide online status! Tried it out with a friend, life changing

@NippyWoowoo I don’t seem to have that option on my Samsung. What are you on?

iPhone. I checked a couple weeks ago and still wasn't available but checked again last night and found it was.

So your apps update automatically or do you have to do it yourself? Maybe check that it's the most up to date version?

I've just checked my Samsung S10 and it's there

Have an iphone and just updated whatsapp and mine looks like this

It is a setting in the app, is unrelated to your phone manufacturer.

On android update the app and the option is there

According to playstore my app is up to date. Still can’t see this option.

You can hide profile picture from people who aren't contacts but can't hide online status from anyone (unless blocked of course)

I hope it'll still show "typing" though so there is some interactivity that makes it feel live unlike text messaging.

@TinySaltLick I was trying to see whether it was an android/iPhone difference.