WhatsApp Web is getting new and enhanced security features. Now users will have to authenticate the linking or login of their WhatsApp account on the desktop app through fingerprints or Face ID. This new security feature will keep others from trying to login through your device when you are not there. In terms of privacy, WhatsApp won’t store any of the biometrics data on its servers. The complete authentication process will be carried out on the device itself. Adding to this, WhatsApp can’t even access any of the biometric data stored locally on the device — more details on the story ahead.
WhatsApp New Security Features for Desktop App
The biometric authentication will be an extra layer of security provided for the users to prevent fraud logins and unethical use of the desktop app. So the next time any user is trying to log in on the WhatsApp Web application, he/she will be asked to authenticate the process by either providing fingerprint or Face ID. Only once the biometric authentication is completed, users will be allowed to access the QR code scanner on the smartphone.
WhatsApp said that this would limit the people at the user’s workplace or home to access his/her WhatsApp on their desktops without the account owner's permission. This is an extension to the current security measure which lets the user know through a pop-up that his/her WhatsApp is being accessed in another device. Users also have the option to unlink their WhatsApp from any of the devices they want to.
This new security feature hasn’t rolled out yet. WhatsApp has said that it will be rolling out this feature in the next few weeks globally. There will also be a visual redesign rolled out for WhatsApp Web pages being operated in phones.
The social media giant has said that it cannot access or store any biometric information by design. This new feature will certainly be a bonus for people who are worried about their chats being hacked.
WhatsApp Privacy Policy Implementation New Date
WhatsApp saw a strong pushback from its users globally for the new privacy policies introduced. No one was happy with the company collecting personal data of the users and not even giving them an option to decline the new policies in certain countries such as India. Since users started shifting to other applications, WhatsApp has extended the new last date for the policies to be accepted to May 15, 2021. Earlier this date was February 8, 2021.
