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| The disappeared messages ... WhatsApp publishes new details about them |
Prior to the official release, WhatsApp shared additional information about the "Missing Messages" feature through the "Frequently Asked Questions" section on its website.
Over the past few months, the platform has worked hard to develop this feature and there is evidence that this feature debuted in March of this year.
This feature allows users to send messages through the messaging platform with a specified expiration date.
In July, the platform began testing beta functionality (2.20.197.4), improving the user interface, and providing a 7-day full expiration timer.
This feature works in conjunction with media files, allowing users to share hidden pictures, videos, and GIFs through an email program.
The new FAQ section explains that WhatsApp users will soon have a new setting for sending cached messages after 7 days.
This section explains the following: Messages sent in one or more group chats disappear after 7 days. This option reviews all messages in chat and does not affect messages that you previously sent or received in chat.
Each user participating in a one-on-one chat can activate or deactivate this function, while in a group chat only the group manager can activate or deactivate this function.
This part also explains that if the user does not open the message within 7 days, the message will disappear and the message preview in the warning can still be displayed until the app opens.
If you reply to a hidden message, the quoted text can still be in the discussion after 7 days, so that the user can view the contents of the message even if the message has disappeared.
If such a message is forwarded to a conversation with the "Hidden messages" setting disabled, the message will disappear after 7 days.
If the user creates a backup before the message disappears, the removable message will be included in the backup and deleted after the user restores the backup.
While this feature is undoubtedly a useful addition to the messaging platform, WhatsApp hasn't added any basic security features to prevent users from saving these messages before deleting them from the chat.
The company stated that the recipient can save and forward messages that have been removed, take screenshots and not notify the sender.
Media files using this feature have been removed from the chat. If the automatic download function is activated, it remains on the recipient's device.
If the recipient has saved or transferred the media, or took a screenshot before saving the media, the sender will not be notified.