WhatsApp now lets you block people from adding you to a group chat
Facebook is hardly renowned for respecting privacy, but with WhatsApp the company is taking a small step to give users greater control.
A change to privacy settings for groups means that it is now possible -- at last -- to avoid being added to a group chat you don't to be involved in. WhatsApp has announced that "we're introducing a new privacy setting and invite system to help you decide who can add you to groups".
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Under the new system if someone wants to invite you to take part in a group chat, they will have to send you a private invite via a direct message. If the invitation is not accepted within three days, it will automatically expire.
Announcing the change, WhatsApp explains how to take advantage of the new option:
To enable it, go to Settings in your app, then tap Account > Privacy > Groups and select one of three options: "Nobody", "My Contacts", or "Everyone". "Nobody" means you'll have to approve joining every group to which you're invited, and "My Contacts" means only users you have in your address book can add you to groups.
The new options are rolling out globally, so you may not see them immediately.
Image credit: Dedy Pramu / Shutterstock