WhatsApp group admins can now restrict other members from posting

WhatsApp group admins to get more power, ability to restrict messages from other members

Of late, WhatsApp feature has become a potent tool for WhatsApp users. But yet as millions of WhatsApp users use groups to carry put conversations - private, societal and professional - WhatsApp groups have too come under scanner for abuse, particularly in rural areas like India. Nowadays, it seems WhatsApp is hoping to get in some checks and balances into its group feature. A new report states that the society is hoping to hand more power to WhatsApp group administrators so that they can maintain an optic on the messages that group members are posting.

According to WABetaInfo, a website that often leaks new WhatsApp features based on the beta builds of the app, the messaging app is coming out with a novel feature called Restricted Groups. This feature will let a group decision maker to start a WhatsApp group that will make only some privileges to the members.

Restricted Groups will reportedly allow the WhatsApp group administrators to approve a message before it gets put out into the group. It will as well permit them to restrict a member from participating in discussions without kicking the person out of the group if administrators feel any member has abused the group feature.

The intelligence report from WABeta says that the Restricted Groups feature is already part of WhatsApp version 2.17.430 that has been submitted to Google Play store for approval.

In states like India, where WhatsApp groups are really popular and are employed by households for personal conversations as easily as by big companies for employment, have acquired a notoriety for spreading false, baseless or sensational information. The groups also reportedly allowed people to spread malicious and or hate-filled messages as well as violence and rape pictures.

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The problem has become so big that in some instances, police and law enforcement authorities have issued notices that they will hold the WhatsApp group administrators responsible if unlawful messages, videos or films are shared in a group.

The Restricted Groups feature may not resolve the troubles associated with WhatsApp groups, but it may make adequate power to group administrators to contain the misinformation. And as we have heard it again and again, with great ability comes great responsibility. So once WhatsApp group administrators have the instruments to check misinformation and rogue members, they may also be compelled to maintain the group clean. That stated, some other big problem that WhatsApp groups have is not going to be worked out by the latest upcoming update. This problem is an ability of anyone to create a group and add anyone into it, without their permission. You can always come out of the group when you have been added to one, but before your numbers get added there is no permission that is searched. This not merely allows for widespread SPAM on WhatsApp but is also an unnecessary trouble for many, specially in a nation like India where getting phone numbers of people is quite gentle. May be in future updates, after the WhatsApp version 2.17.430, the Facebook-owned chat app will fix this trouble as well.

Source Link: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/technology/story/whatsapp-group-admins-to-get-more-power-ability-to-restrict-messages-from-other-members/1/1102597.html

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