what is disappearing messages on whatsapp

We'll see how users adapt to the process. But as noted, WhatsApp's been testing it for months, and it obviously sees value in the option.

Given this, I'm not sure this is a great addition for WhatsApp, or that it will fulfill a pressing user need, as the existing encryption already protects such exchanges either way. I can already envision a fake WhatsApp exchange being used as evidence of some wrongdoing, which the poster could then claim was made within a self-erasing thread, so the true evidence no longer exists.

Which makes sense, of course, but given the amount of private chats and conversations that happen within encrypted WhatsApp threads, this seems like it doesn't add a heap of security or assurance. WhatsApp also notes that users can f orward or take a screenshot of a disappearing message, and save it before it disappears, so users should only, in WhatsApp's view, use the option with users they trust. So, they don't really disappear, at least not entirely. Disappearing messages will be deleted when a user restores from a backup. If a user creates a backup before a message disappears, the disappearing message will be included in the backup.If a disappearing message is forwarded to a chat with disappearing messages off, the message won’t disappear in the forwarded chat.If you reply to a disappearing message, the quoted text might remain in the chat after seven days. When you reply to a message, the initial message is quoted.However, the preview of the message might still be displayed in notifications until WhatsApp is opened. If a user doesn’t open WhatsApp in the seven day period, the message will disappear.Though there are some provisos - in its Help Center explanation of the functionality, WhatsApp notes that: WhatsApp says that this will provide a greater sense of immediacy, while also enabling users to clear out unnecessary reminders without having to manually go back and clean up their exchanges. The setting won't impact previously sent messages in a thread.

What is disappearing messages on whatsapp