WhatsApp is about to copy Instagram: Only close friends will see your status soon

WhatsApp has gradually evolved from a simple messaging application to a social application that has numerous capabilities. It has, over the years, included status updates, channels, and enhanced privacy settings. WhatsApp is now getting ready to introduce another change that can be familiar to Instagram users. The app is creating a new experience to manage who is allowed to view status updates, sharing is more personal and more organised.

WhatsApp Close Friends Feature Explained

The upcoming feature will add the ability for users to make custom contact lists when sharing their status. It means, users will be able to add contacts in lists instead of selecting privacy settings each time. A name and an emoji may be added to each list, and it will be easier to identify which user is added. One of these lists the same as Instagram Close Friend feature when, only the selected people can see some status updates.

How Custom Status Lists Will Work

There will be two easy ways through which users can add contacts into a Close Friend list. One of the alternatives is via the privacy settings of status, where the list of the contacts can be chosen. The second one enables the user to control the list directly during the process of posting a status. This configuration minimizes work and wastes less time in communicating updates with individuals.

Changes Apply Only to Future Status Updates

On WhatsApp, one can always edit the list of Close Friends. Nevertheless, any modifications performed after posting a status will not impact that status. In case a person is dropped off the list later, he/she will still be able to see the previous update. The new list will not be applicable to previous status posts.

Status Privacy

To make things clearer, WhatsApp is also testing visual indicators. A status that is shared with a particular list will have a different colour ring round the profile picture. This will make the users realize that this was not a status that was shared with everyone.

Additional Status Privacy Options Coming

Other than Close Friend, WhatsApp is striving on additional privacy options of status updates. These features are meant to provide users with improved control over sharing their content without having to do the same settings over and over. It is concentrated on the flexibility and convenience.

Availability

Close Friend is an additional feature, still being developed, and available in a beta version of WhatsApp on Android. It should be implemented in a later update. No definite release date is known, but the early tests indicate that it might soon be released.

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