Facebook-owned social media giant WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature that will allow admins to delete messages for all users of the group. Right now, each individual can only delete a message sent by another user in a group for him/herself only; this includes admins as well. But very soon, WhatsApp could add support for admins to delete the messages of another user in the group for everyone. The company hasn’t officially announced that it is going to bring the feature, but the feature has been spotted in the beta version of the application.
WhatsApp Working to Enable Better Moderation
This is not a unique or a very new feature. Telegram already has such a feature for its users. Thus, WhatsApp is also expected to come out with it soon. It would allow better moderation by the group admins and enable proper control over the group.
WABetaInfo has already tested the feature and said that it gives the admin the power to delete any message he/she wants for all the users in the group. With fake news spreading very easily over platforms such as WhatsApp, this tool would enable admins of the group to moderate content on the platform and curb the spread of fake news by deleting unverified information or links meant for harming user privacy.
In 2021, the Bombay High Court had shared its concern over the existing power that a group admin has in WhatsApp. Currently, an admin can only add and remove users from the group. They don’t have the power to moderate or regulate content that comes into the group chat. Thus, this new feature is going to make not only the users but also the authorities in the country happy.
More details about the feature are in the dark as WhatsApp is yet to roll it out for the stable version of the application both in iOS and Android.
