WhatsApp, the Meta-owned instant messaging platform, has unveiled its latest feature — Channels — in India and more than 150 countries worldwide. This new addition, similar to Instagram's Broadcast channel, empowers users to communicate with their connections through one-way channels, simplifying the dissemination of messages to large groups.
WhatsApp has emphasised the autonomy of Channels, ensuring that the identities of followers remain confidential to one another. These Channels serve as a tool for unidirectional broadcasting, allowing administrators to share various content types, including text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls, all while protecting the privacy of both administrators and followers.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared a preview of the new feature on Facebook.
To access the Channels feature, WhatsApp introduces a dedicated tab named "Updates." Here, users can conveniently view Status updates and the channels they choose to follow, keeping these interactions separate from their personal conversations with friends, family, and communities. Moreover, channels can be accessed through invitation links shared in chats, emails, or posted online.
As the feature expands globally, WhatsApp is committed to enhancing the functionality and user experience of Channels. The updates will allow users to discover channels through a searchable directory that is automatically filtered by country. Channels can also be browsed based on their activity level, popularity, or recency.
Similar to Instagram Broadcast channels, users on WhatsApp Channels can react to updates and provide feedback using emojis. The total number of reactions will be displayed, but administrators' individual reactions will remain private.
Administrators will soon gain the ability to edit their updates within a 30-day timeframe before automatic deletion from WhatsApp's servers.
When administrators forward an update to chats or groups, it will include a link back to the channel, simplifying access to more information.
WhatsApp is taking measures to prevent message accumulation in channels by retaining channel history on its servers for a maximum of 30 days. Furthermore, the company is actively working on implementing features to expedite the removal of updates from followers' devices. Administrators will also have the option to restrict screenshots and forwards within their channels.
In addition to these features, WhatsApp is granting administrators control over who can follow their channel and whether it is discoverable in the directory. It's important to note that, by default, channels do not benefit from end-to-end encryption, as their primary objective is to reach a wide audience.