What’s this now? WhatsApp’s rolling out a new option that’ll allow users to keep disappearing messages in a chat thread, provided that the sender approves. So, it’s introducing a new archiving function of sorts? Well, that’s interesting. However, it does seem to defeat the purpose – may be though, there are times where something you send as a disappearing message is of significant value to the recipient. In moments like these, then it could be more beneficial for them to keep it.
“Today we’re introducing ‘Keep in Chat’, so you can hang on to texts you need for later, with a special superpower for the sender. To make this work, the sender will be notified when someone keeps a message, and the sender will have the ability to veto the decision. If you’ve decided your message can’t be kept by others, your decision is final, no one else can keep it and the message will be deleted when the timer expires. This way you have the final say on how messages you send are protected.”
So you can decide if you’re going to allow a requesting user to keep your message, or you can permanently delete it. Given that people can still manage screenshots and pictures of messages, it does make some sense to add this as a native feature, even if it does somewhat counter the concept of disappearing messages.
WhatsApp added disappearing messages back in 2020 and once served as a key feature for Snap in its initial days. Back then, Snapchat became known as the app for sending questionable content, because of this feature. Since then, virtually every messaging app had added an ephemeral element to provide more privacy and engagement options.
The Wrap
It’s not really a huge update, but it does have its opportunities and timely benefits. And again, with various options for capturing DM details anyway, even if they are set to disappear, it probably makes sense for WhatsApp to add this as an in-stream option, with the additional sender control tools.
Maybe, that actually ends up enabling creators to maintain more control of their DMs. However, we’re unsure just how many brand use cases there are for this one, but perhaps if you send out limited-time offers, this could recipients more opportunity to capitalize on them, as well as the ability to retract them at any time.
Read more about WhatsApp’s new ‘Keep in Char’ option here.
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