WhatsApp launches ‘Channels’ feature to compete with Telegram – 06/08/2023 – Tech

WhatsApp launched, this Thursday (8), the “Channels” feature, a private way to receive updates from people and organizations directly on the platform. The tool will reach select users in Colombia and Singapore first, with more countries to come later.

Channels will be placed in a new tab called “Updates”, separate from conversations and groups. In it, the user will find the Status and the channels he chooses to follow.

The feature is similar to Telegram, of the same name, which aims to broadcast public messages to an unlimited number of subscribers. However, the WhatsApp tool allows only administrators to be able to write texts, send photos, videos and stickers, and create polls.

The company will create a search service where you can find hobbies, sports teams, updates from local authorities, among others. The user will also be able to access a channel through invitation links sent in conversations and emails or posted online.

According to the company, the intention was to create a service that offers the highest level of privacy. Therefore, the phone number and profile picture of channel admins will not be displayed to followers and vice versa.

Like messages, channel updates don’t need to be displayed forever. Channel history will only be stored for up to 30 days. Admins will still have the option to block screenshots and channel forwards. They will also be able to decide who can and cannot follow the channel, and whether they want the channel to be discovered in search.

“Because the channels are intended to reach a wide audience, they are not protected with end-to-end encryption by default. We understand that there are some cases where channels with this protection for a limited audience might make sense, such as a healthcare organization or non-profit, and we are considering this as a future option as well,” WhatsApp said in the statement.

According to the platform, the exchange of private messages between friends, family and communities will remain the main function of WhatsApp, but the creation of channels is a step in the wake of a request that users have been making for years.