WhatsApp Launches One-Way Broadcast ‘Channels’ for Some Organisations and Users

Channels on WhatsApp is a feed-style broadcast service. However, it is a one-way broadcast service. Notably, the company has introduced the Channels. Users can share text photos, videos, text, polls, and stickers with their followers via these channels. Channels are “a simple, reliable, and confidential way to receive important updates from people and organizations,” according to WhatsApp, which gives examples of hobbies, sports teams, and updates from local authorities.

Followers in channels won’t have access to the personal information of admins. It indicates that the profile picture and phone numbers won’t be visible to others. Whenever a user follows a channel their information like phone number won’t be shown to the admin or other followers. Furthermore, the company is giving admins more control of channels in as sense that admins can block screenshots and forwards from their respective channels.

According to the company, it is creating a directory where channels may be found. You can also access a channel with an invite link. Administrators have control over who can subscribe to their channel and whether or not they want it to appear in the directory. Channels will appear different from the chats inbox i.e., under the tab Updates. It is a new tab. It will include the Status as well as the Channels a particular user follows.

Do note that by default channels are not end-to-end encrypted. The company is currently testing this feature as a future option. Up to 30 days’ worth of channel history can be seen on WhatsApp’s servers. The Meta-owned business says it will soon add features that will make followers’ smartphones lose track of updates even faster.

As of now, the company is introducing the new feature in Colombia and Singapore. It will launch in partnership with top international organizations and selected groups. More nations will obtain channel creation “in the coming months.”