Meta-owned WhatsApp on Tuesday, July 9, launched a new safety measure for group chats. The new group chat safety feature on WhatsApp aims to enhance user security when interacting with unfamiliar groups. When an unknown person adds you to a group, WhatsApp will now provide a brief overview of the group's details, or send a context card, which is designed to help users make informed decisions about their inclusion in unfamiliar group conversations.
WhatsApp Context Card For Android, iOS Rolling Out
WhatsApp has started rolling out context card for group chats to both Android and iOS users and the feature will be available to all users in the coming weeks.
"This includes who added you, how recent the group was created, and who created it. From there, you can decide whether to stay or leave the group and review some of the safety tools available to stay safe and secure on WhatsApp," the company said in a statement.
According to WhatsApp parent Meta, this new functionality is especially useful in situations where users have recently come across individuals or groups and they haven't yet added them to their contact list. It serves as a useful tool for verifying whether a group is familiar or safe to join. This added layer of information lets users to make more informed choices about their group chat participation, particularly when dealing with unfamiliar contacts or unsolicited group invitations.
"This update provides WhatsApp users with another layer of safety and security, building on existing features like silencing unknown callers, chat lock, in-app privacy check-up, and controlling who can add you to groups. It’s also similar to the current experience in 1:1 messaging, where you’re given more context if you’re messaged by someone you don’t know," the company added