WhatsApp tests messages that self-destruct after 24 hours

WhatsApp is testing in its latest beta an evolution of ephemeral messages: the application now allows, in addition to the destruction after 7 days, an erasure of your messages after only 24 hours. A shorter deadline reminiscent of what competing applications are doing, in particular this old enemy of Facebook, the elusive Snapchat.

Our colleagues from WABetaInfo have spotted a new in the latest WhatsApp beta (2.21.9.5) : the application, now owned by Facebook, is testing a new option in ephemeral messages. Launched in November 2020, ephemeral messages are a new option available in the settings of your conversations. Facebook believed at the time of its release that ephemeral messages offer “The peace of mind of knowing that your conversations will not be kept indefinitely, without sacrificing the practicality of being able to know what was the object of your discussion”.

However, it is not really advisable to trust it for the important things. In order to function, ephemeral messages must have been activated in the settings beforehand. The option does not affect messages already sent. In addition, it should be noted that if your correspondent automatically downloads the photo and video content by default, they are downloaded to the device and are not destroyed after the deadline. In any case, it is still possible to take screenshots whether on the smartphone or by taking a photo – just as it is possible to copy the text of these ephemeral messages to keep them indefinitely.

WhatsApp still adapts an idea from Snapchat

In short, these ephemeral messages are above all a small additional gadget to limit – but only to a certain extent – the distribution of certain personal content or that only concern a handful of friends. So far it was only possible to set the self-destruction time to 7 days. WhatsApp adds we told you a new option to allow you to schedule the deletion of your messages and multimedia content with some of your recipients after just 24 hours.

This new test is very reminiscent of a feature at the heart of the Snapchat user experience since unopened messages in group conversations are automatically destroyed after 24 hours, and it is more generally possible to define deadlines for self-destruct content and messages. This is from the rest not the first Snapchat feature that Facebook freely draws inspiration from. It must be said that since Snapchat refused its takeover offer, Facebook seems to be doing its best to methodically siphon off its users.

Facebook has thus adapted and then deployed in one or more applications functions such as photo and video filters, but also Stories, implemented with varying degrees of success in Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. For now, according to WABetaInfo, there is no need to download the latest beta of WhatsApp. The test obviously includes a server component. What do you think of this novelty? Share your opinion in the comments.

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Source: WABetaInfo