The truth behind whether WhatsApp will actually notify people over screenshots

A post has been doing rounds claiming WhatsApp will start notifying people when someone takes a screenshot


Tech Desk January 26, 2017
An illustration photo shows the Whatsapp application logo on a mobile phone in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, May 2, 2016. PHOTO: REUTERS

Whatsapp users can now breathe a sigh of relief as a rumour regarding the messaging app's new feature has found to be false.

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A post was doing rounds on social media claiming WhatsApp will start notifying people when someone takes a screenshot of their conversation. The post further said the feature will come into effect from February 5.



However, we believe this story is probably just a hoax. Firstly, other than 8SHIT.NET, no prominent tech-related site is running this story. Further, if you do a quick Google search for WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum's statement regarding this then you'll only find 8SHIT.NET's post.

Secondly, every time WhatsApp introduces a new feature they announce it on their official blog and we couldn’t find anything there. Besides, the news site that is running the story doesn’t look credible. Just look at some of the other news on the website and you'll know for yourself.

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Lastly, WhatsApp banner themselves on having conversations encrypted meaning neither WhatsApp nor third parties can access your chats, hence the concept of being able to tell others what a user does with a chat seems quite contradictory to this initiative.

Last November, Instagram users received similar news as reports circulated claiming Instagram users will be notified when they take a screenshot of other's photos. Instagram had to later clarify that there was no truth in such reports.

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