You could say WhatsApp is putting in place a sterner form of chat privacy. A view-once for text is on the drawing board, and when it comes, you’ll be able to send off something you don’t want to see in the history once it’s been opened. It’s for those times when having a record of things is more trouble than it’s worth.
Why this is of some use in day-to-day conversation
Sure, disappearing messages are fine, but you can still look at them over and over while they’re around. With a view-once, you’re capping it at one look, much like the rules we have for a photo or video.
Consider it a cover for the kind of details you’d rather not have sitting in a thread.
A one-time read has its place in any number of cases:
– A password or code you need to pass along
– Some work notes or personal stuff you want to keep under wraps
– The nitty-gritty of a surprise you’re planning
What we’ve found in the Android beta
WABetaInfo has put their eyes on it in a recent build. The tell-tale sign was in version 2.26.22.7 of the WhatsApp beta for Android, which means it’s being put through its paces behind the scenes.
To make it work might be as easy as holding down the send button while you type. That would bring up a “Send as view once” among other options. Once the other side has had a look, the message is gone.
It’s an extension of what’s already there
We can already do View Once with our photos, videos and voice memos. You can’t forward or save them in that mode, and in some cases you can’t even screenshot them.
Bringing the same kind of discipline to text makes sense. It puts written words on a par with the rest and keeps any delicate bits from hanging around.
How you can tell it apart from a disappearing message
With a disappearing message, the chat is wiped after a while, but until then you can re-read it. This is more of a hard stop: you get one read and that’s it.
When even a little bit of time in the open is too much, that kind of limit is handy.
And another one they may be testing
WABetaInfo is also talking about a spoiler feature. The idea is to have some text come in as a blur. You have to tap to see what it is, so it doesn’t give itself away right away.
Good for a verification code or the like if you don’t want it in plain sight on the screen.
Where things stand for now
Don’t go looking for it just yet. WABetaInfo says the view-once text is still in development and hasn’t made it to the beta testers. As for the spoiler, there’s no word on when that might happen either.
Like most things from WhatsApp, you can expect to see it in the beta first. It’s a way to iron out the kinks, particularly with anything that has to do with how we handle private information.
To put it in a nutshell:
– Found in 2.26.22.7 for Android
– Long-press to send could be the key
– Beta users can’t have it yet
– No date on the calendar
So for the moment, it’s a good indicator of where the app is going. When it does come out, it will be a more straightforward way to be the one in control of your sensitive material.
