WhatsApp has launched its new “Communities” characteristic, together with polls, a lot greater video calls and large chats.
The Communities device is meant to organise a number of group chats into one place: so {that a} college, neighbourhood or workplace might be joined along with plenty of completely different chats. Administrators can then ship messages to everybody in that group.
The characteristic was introduced earlier this 12 months and has been in testing since. It is now rolling out to the general public, alongside the brand new options.
It will seem as a tab on the backside of the app. From there, customers can begin a brand new group, or be a part of present ones.
The Communities characteristic will enable customers to organise completely different group chats collectively underneath a single most important matter (Meta/PA)
WhatsApp mentioned that it had centered on “privacy and security” with the brand new characteristic, and mentioned that it provided security that was not “not found anywhere else”. “The alternatives available today require trusting apps or software companies with a copy of their messages – and we think they deserve the higher level of security provided by end-to-end encryption,” it mentioned, seemingly referring to options reminiscent of Discord and Slack.
The characteristic is being rolled out as a part of an replace that can even enable customers to create and participate in polls with their chats.
In addition, group video calling will now assist as much as 32 contributors.
And WhatsApp mentioned the utmost measurement of a bunch will now be 1,024 customers. It is at the moment 512, after being step by step elevated over time, although rival Telegram permits teams of as much as 200,000 folks.
“With Communities, we’re aiming to raise the bar for how organisations communicate with a level of privacy and security not found anywhere else,” WhatsApp mentioned in a weblog submit asserting the rollout.
“The alternatives available today require trusting apps or software companies with a copy of their messages – and we think they deserve the higher level of security provided by end-to-end encryption.
“Once you’re in a community, you can easily switch between available groups to get the information you need, when you need it, and admins can send important updates to everyone in the Community.”
Mark Zuckerberg, the top of WhatsApp’s father or mother firm, Meta, mentioned: “Today we’re launching Communities on WhatsApp.
“It makes groups better by enabling sub-groups, multiple threads, announcement channels, and more.
“We’re also rolling out polls and 32-person video calling too. All secured by end-to-end encryption so your messages stay private.”
Additional reporting by Press Association
Source: www.impartial.co.uk
