WhatsApp will be giving its Status feature a big update that could make sharing more personal and private than ever before. The messaging app is reportedly working on adding a Close Friends feature to Status updates. The feature update will let users create a dedicated Close Friends list directly from the privacy settings. Every time a Status update is posted, the user will be able to decide whether to share it with the entire contacts list or limit it to a chosen inner circle.
Close Friends updates will look different. A special-colored ring will highlight them, so the people on your list know they are seeing something more personal. And importantly, just like on Instagram, the list is private — no one will be notified when they are added or removed.
Growing popularity of WhatsApp Status
WhatsApp Status works a lot like Instagram Stories where users can post photos, videos, or text updates that disappear after 24 hours. Globally, WhatsApp Status is a massive hit. Meta says it is used by 1.5 billion people every day around the world.
Currently, WhatsApp already offers three privacy settings for Status -
· My Contacts, which shares updates with everyone in your contact list.
· My Contacts Except…, which lets you exclude specific people.
· Only Share With…, which allows you to select a smaller group.
While the “Only Share With…” option already works as a kind of workaround for Close Friends, the new feature will make it much simpler and more streamlined.
