Summary of this article
WhatsApp introduces strict security mode for high-risk users.
Feature limits interactions, media, and unknown contacts.
Designed mainly for journalists and public-facing individuals.
Meta has introduced another privacy feature for its users, which enables them to stay safe from all sorts of potential scammers and cyber attacks. This feature provides extreme protection for its users.
Meta announced this new feature this week. Namely, Strict Account Settings to protect its users on WhatsApp. This feature uses extreme safeguards against rare and highly sophisticated cyber scams. The tech company also stated in a blog post that this new feature is catering to a very few of its users, like journalists and public-facing figures, who need extreme cyber protection due to the vulnerable data they carry.
What Is The New Feature?
The tech company states that the strict account settings are a combination of extreme protection features. They also emphasised that these features must be used only if the user believes they are at risk of cyberattacks.
These features enable a lockdown-like setting for the usage of the app. These limit the way users interact, such as:
Attachments and media from people not in your contact list will be blocked.
Link previews will be disabled.
A limit on who can call you through the app or add you to a group will also be limited.
While describing this feature, it is warned that most users don't require this feature.
How To Enable This Feature?
If one thinks that they require this feature, due to who they are or what they might do, here is how they can enable this feature;
Update WhatsApp to the latest version
Open WhatsApp and navigate to settings
Tap on 'Privacy' and then scroll down to 'Advanced'
Tap on 'Strict Account Settings' and agree to the terms
Before you set these features, set a 6-digit PIN. Without this, you wouldn't be able to use these features.
This feature was previously released by Apple and Android across their devices. Android had "Advanced Protection Mode" to protect its users against any potential online attacks, harmful apps, and data risks.
Meanwhile, Apple had introduced a "Lockdown Mode" feature in 2022, which is optional and is dependent on the user's preferences. Apple's feature turns off message attachments and link previews while blocking any FaceTime calls from unknown contacts.
