WhatsApp appears to be giving more power to group admins to limit fake news circulation
Photo Credit: Reuters
WhatsApp has been spotted testing a new in-app camera interface for Android devices. It appears to change the position of the Flash shortcut and redesign the Switch Camera button. Separately, WhatsApp is found to be testing the ability to let group administrators delete any specific messages for everyone in the group. This appears to help give group admins more power to limit spam and misinformation that is quite common among regular WhatsApp groups despite years long debates and strong criticism.
As reported by WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp for Android beta 2.22.1.2 has been released that carries references about the redesigned in-app camera. The new experience is not yet live for beta testers, though it is suggested to be a part of an internal testing.
WABetaInfo has shared a screenshot to suggest the redesigned camera on WhatsApp. It brings the Flash shortcut to the top-right corner from the bottom left and adds a circular shade to the Switch Camera button. In place of the Flash shortcut, the new in-app camera interface gives access to your recent photos from the bottom-left corner.
WhatsApp's new in-app camera interface (left) vs its existing version (right)
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo, Gadgets 360
Exact details on when exactly we could see the updated camera on WhatsApp are yet to be revealed. Also, since the reported information is from the internal testing, we may see some changes in the interface that will finally be provided to the general public.
In addition to the new camera experience, WABetaInfo has separately informed that WhatsApp is testing the ability to allow group admins to delete messages in their groups for all members. This seems to be an extension of the existing ‘Delete for Everyone' feature that WhatsApp had introduced back in 2017.
WhatsApp does allow users to delete their messages in individual chats as well as groups for everyone using the Delete for Everyone feature. However, it has not yet enabled group admins to use the feature to delete messages sent by the members of their groups for everyone.
A screenshot shared by WABetaInfo shows that the members will see a notice on the messages deleted by group admins that reads, “This was removed by an admin.”
WhatsApp has been spotted testing the ability to let group admins delete messages for everyone
Photo Credit: WABetaInfo
The addition would essentially help group admins remove messages circulating fake news and misinformation for all members in their groups.
Group admins on WhatsApp already have features including the ability to restrict members from sending messages to their groups and prevent members from make any unwanted group information edits.
WhatsApp has not yet provided any details about when we could see the update pertaining to group admins. Nevertheless, WABetaInfo has mentioned that its indication was found in WhatsApp for Android beta 2.22.1.1. This suggests that we could see the enhanced deletion feature for group admins coming at least to beta testers sometime early next year.
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