WhatsApp on Wednesday launched a new feature, View Once, that deletes sensitive photos and videos from chats after they're opened, giving users more control over their privacy.
WhatsApp launches View Once
When sending a sensitive photo or video, users can only make the media viewable once by tapping the 1 icon next to the send button. Once the recipient opens the media, it will be immediately deleted and they will be able to see that it is a View Once attachment. Users will need to select View Once every time they send a photo or video, as this cannot currently be set automatically.
The attachment will also display 'Opened' to make it clear what happened in the chat, but this will only appear if the other person has 'Read Receipts' enabled.
Photos and videos sent via View Once cannot be forwarded, saved, or shared. If the attachment is not opened by the recipient within two weeks, it will be automatically deleted from the chat. However, these View Once attachments can be backed up and restored as long as the message remains unopened.
