Meta rolled out a bunch of new features to the WhatsApp Messenger app recently. If you use the popular messaging app, you may have noticed that the WhatsApp status section looks different now. These changes aren't just superficial though, they enable you to share and do more with your WhatsApp status.
The February 2023 update brought voice messages, reactions, and link previews to the WhatsApp status feature. You can also choose private audiences with whom you'd like to share your status, very much like Instagram stories. To use the Private Audience Selector on WhatsApp, you need to follow a few steps. We have outlined them for you below.
How to use Private Audience Selector on WhatsApp
1. Launch WhatsApp Messenger on your phone.
2. Select the Status section of the app.
3. Tap the little pencil icon in the bottom-right corner to create a new status.
4. Once your status is ready, tap the Status button in the bottom-left corner. Mine says Status (Contacts) to reflect my privacy settings.
5. From the audience selector that just popped up, choose either My contacts except... or Only share with... from the options and press Done.
6. Browse through your contacts and choose who you want or do not want to share your status with.
7. Tap the little send arrow in the bottom-right corner after you're done selecting contacts.
8. Tap the green Done button once again to share your WhatsApp status with your customized private audience.
Once you've created a custom audience with the Private Audience Selector on WhatsApp, the excellent Android app saves your preferences. This makes it easy to select the same group of individuals the next time as well.
Mind your privacy settings on WhatsApp
WhatsApp is a great messaging app and social media platform. You can use it from anywhere as long as your device has an internet connection. Apart from Android phones, you can also use the messaging app from your laptop or computer using WhatsApp Web or your Android tablet using the WhatsApp app.
Since you can send and receive messages to and from virtually anybody, it isn't a wise idea to leave your privacy settings unattended. Also, since WhatsApp uses all your contacts and anyone can find your profile using your phone number, this leaves an opportunity for unwanted people to access your stories and messages.
The best way to take proactive action against potential unwanted contact on WhatsApp is to customize your privacy settings. This includes setting who can see your status in-app as well as choosing who can find and contact you using your phone number. You can manage your online visibility such as when were you last seen on the app to set certain limitations that are in line with your privacy. If all else fails and you still end up on the receiving end of an awkward or uncomfortable message, you should block and report that contact in WhatsApp.
