Many users worry about safety and privacy at WhatsApp. Foundation Warentest gives tips.

Berlin – with 2 billion users worldwide and around 100 billion messages daily, WhatsApp * is one of the most widely used apps in the world. However, the applicable privacy policies of the Facebook company Meta, which also includes the brand WhatsApp, are increasingly concerned for criticism *.

WhatsApp: Foundation Warent test recommends users to change four settings

For example, the Warentest Foundation recommends that you check your WhatsApp settings and thus ensure maximum privacy when using the app. If you follow all recommendations, however, must make massive smears in the usability of the app, reported HNA.de *.

Who wants to view or change his current WhatsApp settings, first opens the app on his smartph1. The symbol with three superimposed points can be reached for the settings menu. The privacy settings can then be achieved by clicking on Account and then on privacy (all service news on app settings *).

Privacy settings at WhatsApp: visibility in three levels

The first attitude in which Stiftung Warentest advises to more mindfulness is the visibility of profile picture and info text, which can be set to “anyone”, “my contacts” or “no one”. The same setting options also have users at the “Last Online”.

This allows you to hide the timestamp, see the other WhatsApp users under the display name when they open the WhatsApp chat * with the user concerned. If you turn off the “Last Online” setting, the timestamp will no longer see the timestamp with other users.

Read-check mark at WhatsApp: Privacy settings for more privacy

Also separately switch off the display of the blue “read” tickets that transmit other users, whether the recipient has already seen their message. Who does not want whatsapp, in which there were already changes in the profile pictures in January *, transmit this data can intervene in the privacy settings and select from the usual three options.

Who shuts off the function, the blue check marks look only in group chats. There, a message always appears as blue when all group members have read a message.

Even with the WhatsApp status messages, users can set whether to see for anyone who uses the app for their own contacts or any1. This feature allows you to upload a photobook or Instagram, a photo, video, or text update analogous to Stories in the social media networks, which is visible 24 hours for the selected group. Also in chat with a particular person can be set that WhatsApp messages will be deleted within 24 hours *.

Safety at WhatsApp: Limit access to data and camera with app settings

If this is not far enough in terms of data protection at WhatsApp, which can also specify further restrictions in addition to the settings within the app, which can be reached via the smartphone setting menu. Here you are looking for the app settings in the list and select the App WhatsApp, so the permissions are displayed, which WhatsApp is given to the first start of the app on the smartphone.

Here you can access the app for access to the contact details of the smartphone, the mobile phone camera, the voice recording function, or on the data and image memory. However, who goes this step has to be aware that he loses many functions of the app and, for example, no images or voice messages can send more. _ * HNA.de is Wieapp settings part of the editorial network of ips.media._

Category list picture: © Yui Mok / dpa