WhatsApp Status likely to get an Instagram-like Close Friends feature

Meta-owned instant messaging platform, WhatsApp, may soon get a Close Friends feature to post status updates. This enables users to upload photos, videos, and text on WhatsApp Status, but only select specific people added in the Close Friends list will be able the view the update. This feature is quite similar to Instagram’s Close Friends feature, which enhances privacy and gives people room to upload stories that they do not want to share with everyone in their following list. Know more about how this new WhatsApp feature will work and how users can benefit from it.

WhatsApp Status to get the Close Friends feature

According to the WABetaInfo report, Meta is testing an Instagram-like Close Friends feature. This feature is similar to how the WhatsApp Status feature works, allowing users to upload photos, videos, and text that will disappear after 24 hours. However, with the Close Friends feature, WhatsApp users can customise the contacts with whom they want to share the status. 

With this feature, users will be able to create a close friends list within the privacy settings. Currently, WhatsApp has three privacy options for Status: My Contacts, My Contacts Except, and Only Share With. The Only Share With feature already works as a close friends feature, but with the new update, the process is expected to be more streamlined.

Now, as per WhatsApp’s TestFlight beta release, WhatsApp users will be able to create close friends lists from the privacy settings. Once the list is curated, users will likely get two options to upload status: either to upload for all contacts or for close friends. Once the status is uploaded to Close Friends updates, the green-colour ring for status may start appearing in a different coloured ring, which lets people know that it is shared with the inner circle of contacts.

Similar to Instagram, WhatsApp users will not be notified when they are added or removed from the close friends list, maintaining user privacy. Therefore, if the feature rolls out in the coming WhatsApp update, users will not be broadcasting each update to their entire contact list. 

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