WhatsApp is reportedly testing a new feature on its Android app that gives users greater control over their status updates. The upcoming functionality allows users to select who can reshare their status, ensuring more privacy and control over content visibility. The feature is currently in beta and is expected to roll out to a wider audience soon.
According to feature tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp Beta for Android version 2.25.27.5 includes a new Allow Sharing toggle for status updates. This option enables the original author to control whether others can reshare their updates. When enabled, only selected users who can see the status will be allowed to share it further.
The feature is turned off by default and requires manual activation. Users can also configure privacy filters to restrict resharing to specific contacts or exclude certain people from the resharing list.
With the new feature, users gain flexible control over who can share their status updates. Key aspects include:
Selective Sharing: Users can choose a limited set of contacts allowed to reshare the status.
Exclusion Option: Certain contacts can be excluded from resharing privileges.
Privacy Label: Reshared content is labeled at the top of the screen to avoid confusion about the original author.
Author Notifications: Original authors are notified when their status is reshared, but personal details of the sharer remain hidden.
This ensures users maintain privacy while still allowing content circulation among trusted contacts.
The new resharing control option was discovered by WABetaInfo in WhatsApp Beta for Android. The Allow Sharing toggle appears alongside the status update viewing options, enabling users to manage who can reshare their content.
Currently, this feature is under development and available only to beta testers registered via the Google Play Beta program. The functionality may gradually be introduced to a wider audience for further testing before an official rollout.
This upcoming feature addresses several privacy and usability concerns:
Enhanced Privacy: Users can restrict resharing to selected contacts, reducing unwanted dissemination of personal updates.
Content Ownership: Original authors retain greater control over their content and can monitor its circulation.
Transparency: Notifications about resharing and labels on reshared content provide clarity to both authors and viewers.
By giving users these controls, WhatsApp aims to make status updates more secure and user-friendly.
When the resharing control is enabled:
Users toggle on the Allow Sharing option for a specific status.
They select contacts allowed to reshare the update.
Anyone outside the selected privacy filter cannot reshare the content.
Reshared content shows a label indicating its origin, and the author is notified.
Recipients of the reshared status cannot see the original sharer’s identity, maintaining anonymity.
This approach balances user control with ease of sharing, enhancing the overall experience on WhatsApp.
Currently, the feature is limited to beta testers but is expected to roll out more broadly in the coming weeks. WhatsApp is likely to refine the feature based on user feedback from beta testing, ensuring smooth integration before a general release.
This update aligns with WhatsApp’s ongoing efforts to improve privacy features and give users greater control over how their content is shared across the platform.
Conclusion
WhatsApp’s new status resharing control feature empowers users to manage who can share their updates while maintaining privacy. By allowing selective resharing, labeling content, and notifying original authors, the platform is enhancing user trust and content control. As testing progresses, this feature could become a key tool for WhatsApp users who want more control over their social interactions.