WhatsApp is rolling out a new feature for beta testers that allows you to set disappearing options in your About section. You can set timers between 30 minutes and one day, or a custom duration up to one month, before your status automatically disappears. Meta is rolling this feature out to give users more control and reduce outdated information on profiles.
The new feature is rolling out more widely to beta testers as part of the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.22.22 update but is only rolling out for some users right now. The About section lets you set a short profile note that is separate to your 24-hour Status update. While this boosts WhatsApp’s status as an ephemeral platform where information disappears, it does add a layer of complexity which some people might find confusing.
When you set an About status, it will be displayed in the conversation header and will alternate with your last seen information. You can also set an emoji character if you want to tell people your mood or current activity. When the timer expires, nobody else will be able to see your status, but it will be saved in your private history, accessible only by you.
While the move will be portrayed by Meta as a privacy feature, it could also be seen as an aggressive move to keep users engaged and informed of their contacts’ activities and could see users oversharing, rather than maintaining privacy.
While the timer will remove the status, users will still be able to update or remove the status at any time before it expires. People also need to remember that the About status is different to the traditional 24-hour Status.
Users on the stable version of WhatsApp will not yet see the feature, as it’s only coming to a limited number of beta testers. Meta has also not disclosed a full rollout timeline, so while the expanded rollout indicates that it’s getting closer, we don’t know for sure when it will arrive.
Source and image via WABetaInfo