It's easy for mobile phone users to block phone calls from unwanted numbers. But on apps, it depends of the apps themselves.
WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, allows users to automatically get all of their contacts synced to their WhatsApp, simply because the primary method of authentication of individuals is their phone number. But this in turn creates a drawback.
This is because any WhatsApp users can simply add some random numbers, and if those numbers are tied to someone's WhatsApp number, they will show up automatically on others' WhatsApp contact list.
Spammers do this, scammers do too.
To end this, WhatsApp introduces a feature it calls the 'Silence Unknown Callers' feature.
Just like how the name suggest, it silences unknown callers.
According to WhatsApp in a blog post:
"These calls will not ring on your phone, but will be visible in your Call list, in case it turns out to be someone important."
Protecting the privacy of your messages remains the driving force behind what we’re building at WhatsApp. While End-to-end encryption is the foundation to ensure your calls and messages are secure, we continue to add more layers of privacy on top including the recently launched Chat Lock to protect sensitive chats behind a password, Disappearing Messages that vanish, screenshot blocking for View Once, and the ability to keep your online presence private.
Today, we’re excited to add two new updates to this growing list: Silence Unknown Callers and Privacy Checkup, which are available to users now.
On top of that, WhatsApp also introduced a feature called 'Privacy Checkup' to ensure that "everyone knows about the options of protection on WhatsApp."
As the most popular messaging app around, WhatsApp known the importance of privacy, and because of that, securing users' private communication is key.
WhatsApp also released a video encouraging users to check in on friends they may be concerned about.
The company even provides a template.
WhatsApp's parent company, Meta, is not known to value privacy that much, and has been riddled with privacy and security issues before. Through WhatsApp, Meta wants to show that it's valuing privacy more than ever.
