After Snapchat and Instagram, temporary videos and photos arrive on a new platform: WhatsApp. Facebook’s messaging service, which has been hosting this feature for some time in beta, is now offering it widely.
WhatsApp is late in adopting the self-destruct function for photos and videos // Source: WhatsApp
Do you like the ephemeral idea that your reporter can only see the photo or video you send to them once? Snapchat has got you covered. No, sorry, WhatsApp has thought of you. courier service owned by Facebook It now offers an extensive feature called View Once, which allows photos and videos sent via the message to be deleted automatically after the first view.
journalist day The WhatsAppThis functionality is present on many other platforms and is very similar to the one that Instagram has offered for years, also owned by Facebook. With this addition, it appears that Facebook is looking to unify a portion of the experience between its two services.
A feature currently being rolled out on WhatsApp
As Facebook reminds usThis feature is interesting to avoid cluttering your smartphone and your messengers with content that will remain unnecessarily displayed in the chat. It can also be a good solution to more securely share sensitive items like your Wi-Fi password, for example. Facebook specifies in this regard that this feature operates on the basis of end-to-end encryption, as is the case with all messages sent on WhatsApp. Messages that can now also become temporary weeks ago.
As for the temporary content itself, it was clearly indicated in the chat, with a dedicated icon. Once the content is viewed, the phrase “open” will simply be displayed for greater clarity.
It is available in beta version for a small number of users for some time, so this “view once” feature is reaching more widely on WhatsApp with a proper update (Version 2.2.11.14.24). It is currently published, and is available on iOS and Android. Finally, note that you will need this update to send ephemeral photo and video content, but it is possible to receive it without the latest version of WhatsApp.
Evan McKenzie is a contributor at Vaughantoday.ca, covering a wide range of topics including local news, politics, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. He focuses on clear, balanced reporting that helps readers stay informed about current events and issues that matter to their communities. His work aims to provide useful information, timely updates, and relevant stories presented in an accessible and reader-friendly way.