Whatsapp users have been calling for changes to their privacy settings for a while. Features to exclude other contacts from peeping into their privacy seem essential to them, and they are not content with a blanket approach to who can view their status and see their profile picture of their ‘last seen.’ Whatsapp has successfully launched the ‘My Contacts Except’ feature to Android users.
Android users will access the new feature on version 2.21.23.14 of the messaging app.
Whatsapp will place the new setting under the privacy settings on Whatsapp. It will be the fourth option added to the already existing three options Everyone, My Contacts and Nobody.
Hiding last seen from selected contacts
Previously, Whatsapp allowed users to hide their last seen to all contacts, and users could not select which contacts would see and which ones would not see their last seen. With the new feature in place, users will be able to apply the feature selectively.
Viewing status
Before the new feature, the only way to exclude selected contacts from viewing your status was to delete them from your device.
About Description
Users will be able to select contacts to be excluded from viewing their ‘about description.’ Previously, users were not able to set who sees or doesn’t see theirs about description.
Read: Multi-Device Whatsapp: You can now use Whatsapp without keeping your phone online
Profile photo
Android users are excited about this new feature. The only way to exclude contacts from seeing your profile picture was to delete their contact and set the privacy settings on the Profile picture to ‘My Contacts’. Also, you could use a blanket approach and select ‘Nobody’ to hide your profile photo from your contacts.
However, the new feature ‘My Contacts Except’ will exclude selected contacts viewing the profile photo.
Is the My Contacts Except feature now available?
The feature is available to Beta users, and if you do not see the feature on your application, you will get it on the next update. Meanwhile, Beta users are testing the use of Whatsapp on multi-devices.