As long as WhatsApp messenger is concern, updates will keep rolling out to enhance the functionality of the app. The company is launching another new feature called channels…
Channels provide a private and reliable way for users to receive important updates from people and organizations. This feature aims to give users a separate space for following channels of interest, apart from their regular chats with friends and family.
As an admin, you can send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls to your followers as followers. To make it easier for users to discover channels, WhatsApp is creating a searchable directory where they can find updates from their favorite hobbies, sports teams, local officials, and more. Users can also join channels through invite links shared in chats, emails, or online platforms.
Channel history will be stored on our servers for up to 30 days and we’ll add ways to make updates disappear even faster from follower’s devices says the company. Admins will also have the option to block screenshots and forwards from their channel.
As an admin, you can decide who can follow your channel and whether you want your channel to be discoverable in the directory or not.
By default, Channels is not encrypted because it’s aim is to reach a wide audience; we do think there are some cases where end-to-end encrypted channels to a limited audience might make sense, such as a non profit or health organization, and we’re exploring this as a future option as well. Says the company.
As a channel admin, your phone number and profile photo won’t be shown to followers. Likewise, following a channel won’t reveal your phone number to the admin or other followers. Who you decide to follow is your choice and it’s private.
Availability
For a start, Channels will be available for some selected organizations in Colombia and Singapore, then it will extend to other countries in the coming weeks.
Let us know what you think.