WhatsApp has announced that you can now send a voice message that disappears after being heard, a feature designed so that users can share confidential information with “greater peace of mind”.
The messaging app said on its blog that the new functionality will roll out worldwide in the coming days.
In 2021, WhatsApp introduced private viewing of photos and videos to add more privacy to users’ messages.
“We’re excited to announce that today you can send a voice message that disappears as soon as it’s heard,” the messaging app says.
“When you want to read your credit card details to a friend or you’re planning a surprise, now you can share confidential information via voice messages with more peace of mind,” he adds.
To maintain “consistency” of photos and videos in one view, one-time background voice messages are clearly marked with a “one-time” icon and can only be played once.
WhatsApp, the Meta-owned messaging app, protects voice messages with end-to-end encryption by default, just like all private messages.
“Single View is another example of our continued innovation in privacy,” the company says.
Under this ‘single view’, media and audio files are not stored in the recipient’s respective sections/folders and cannot be sent.
Additionally, if the user does not open the photo, video or voice message within 14 days of sending it, the file will disappear from the chat.
