Meta’s WhatsApp messaging service is offering users an advanced security mode, joining a growing number of US tech companies that are allowing users to opt for stronger protection against hackers in exchange for a more restrictive experience.
The new option, which will go live on Tuesday, is called “Strict Account Settings” and allows you to enable a set of defenses with a one-click button in WhatsApp’s settings.
This includes blocking media and attachments from unknown senders, disabling link previews (the thumbnails that appear when you type a URL into a chat), and silencing calls from unknown contacts. All three have been identified as potential vectors for surveillance and sophisticated hackers.
WhatsApp said in a blog post that while all user conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption, “we also recognize that a small number of users, such as journalists and public figures, may require extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyberattacks.”
Meta Platforms is the third major technology company to provide enhanced security to high-risk users.
In 2022, Apple has entered “Lockdown Mode”. It is described as “optional extreme protection” designed for the “very small number of individuals” who may be targeted by advanced digital threats. This feature, available on iPhone and macOS, disables most message attachment types and link previews and includes restrictions on FaceTime calls and web browsing.
Last year, Alphabet’s Android launched an “Advanced Protection Mode” for “more security-conscious” users.
Similar to “Lockdown Mode,” Alphabet’s Safer Option trades increased security for some features, such as restricting users from downloading potentially dangerous apps from outside the company’s Play Store.
A researcher who helps protect civil society figures from hacking said WhatsApp’s announcement was a “very welcome development”.
John Scott Railton, who works at Citizen Lab, a research group based at the University of Toronto, said the feature could help protect dissidents and activists while also strengthening the efforts of other tech companies.
“My hope is that others will follow suit,” he said.
(Reporting by Raphael Satter; Editing by Himani Sarkar)
