WhatsApp – everyone loves and uses this app, but doeseveryone know the app’s best usage. Do you know how to best use this essentialmessaging app?
You are probably committing fifteen mistakes detailed belowand right now is a good time to open change your WhatsApp lifestyle.
1. Restrict access to your WhatsApp because the app willnot
WhatsApp was created at a time when Nokia mobiles werepopular and 1G and 2G mobile internet were the latest technology.
The aim of WhatsApp was and is to allow seamless messagingacross various platforms. To enable this, by design, WhatsApp is open.
Here we mean that any person who has your mobile number isable to contact you. This much is acceptable.
However, those who are in your address book access yourWhatsApp at a greater level.
Now, people move in and out of life. Your mobile addressbook should also reflect that.
So, in a few minutes from you, open your mobile address bookand delete the numbers of people with which are no longer relevant.
Though, if you need their mobile number, then you can blockthem from your WhatsApp only.
2. Restrict the amount of information you reveal
We need to curb our enthusiasm about posting every detailabout ourselves on social media in general and WhatsApp in particular.
Thus, if you are not ready to remove your WhatsApp photo,then at least post one where other people are not included. Next, restrictphoto privacy to My Contacts.
Why would you want to show your photograph to everyone?
3. ‘Two-step verification’ enable
SIM swapping is a technically feasible fraud and anyone canbecome a victim of the same. Sometimes even stealing or swapping the SIM is notrequired if the OTP used to verify the number can be hacked.
Now, ‘two-step verification’ will prevent anyone from using yourWhatsApp. In addition, this will also help you log in case you somehow lockyourself out of your WhatsApp account.
4. WhatsApp lock with Touch ID / Face ID or Fingerprintlock
If you are on Apple, then enhance the security of your appwith Touch ID or Face ID and if you are on Android then do the same withFingerprint lock.
Set the timeout depending upon your usage before the appgoes into standby mode.
5. Status message hide from not-relevant people
This follows from an earlier point. We love to share statusmessages.
However, it is suggested that you hide your WhatsApp statusfrom people who are no longer relevant in your life.
If there are people in your WhatsApp contact list to whomyou do not want to share status, then restrict visibility of the status usingglobal settings or per-status settings.
Why? Because what purpose does sharing status with your oldmaid from five years ago achieve?
6. Restrict permission to add you to groups
WhatsApp has an option to allow anyone to add you to anygroup.
It is recommended that you restrict this option to onlycontacts.
Otherwise any random person can add you to group and beingassociated to random groups may not be safe.
7. No backup of chats on unencrypted servers
WhatsApp allows option to backup chats, photos, videos, onGoogle Drive or iCloud.
Now, these services are not as secure as end-to-endencryption (of WhatsApp, Telegram, and other such services) is.
Thus, all your private messages are liable to be exposed ifthey are backed up on insecure servers.
8. Don’t contribute to sharing of fake, sensational, orunverified news or adult content
The Indian government is tightening its rules and policiesto curb the tsunami of fake news and adult content on the Internet.
Also, it is worth remembering that the authorities likepolice have legal right to search through your messages if they arrange thepaperwork to do so.
Thus, it is best advised to keep your WhatsApp clean andtidy and not play a part in this menace of online garbage.
9. Use disappearing messages
Usually, there is not much point in keeping message aroundforever, unless you are specifically archiving important data like usernamepassword or photos, videos of loved ones.
Conclusion
Thus, it is recommended that you enable disappearingmessages and have WhatsApp remove the messages after seven days.
Thus, turbocharge your WhatsApp and elevate yourself to apro WhatsApp user with these neat optimisations and share the same with yourloved ones to enhance their security while using this awesome messaging app.