WhatsApp's next safety feature highlights dangerous links before you click

Key Takeaways

• WhatsApp is adding a "safety screen" feature to help users search for the source of links before clicking.
• The new safety tools will aim to prevent users from opening harmful links that could infect their devices.
• The feature is currently in development and is expected to be released in a future WhatsApp update.

Forwarded links are as old as BBS forums, but real-time communication has made the spam issue significantly worse. It also doesn't help that bad actors have a much broader tool set than they did back in the early 90s; clicking a single link is enough to infect your phone with all sorts of terrible, horrible, no-good stuff. WhatsApp already has a few tools to help combat this, but an upcoming feature is set to make it easier than ever to search for the source of links (even if they appear to be something else) before you click.

Related

The top 11 WhatsApp scams and how to avoid them

No, there is no free WhatsApp Gold tier with extra benefits

In the 2.23.16.6 update for Android, WhatsApp added safety tools for dealing with unknown contacts. The first time someone you don't know sends a message, a safety screen appears that gives you the option to either block or report the person, and it also tells you about ways to find out more about the messenger's profile, country code, and more. These changes are consumer-friendly, but it's worth noting that WhatsApp has faced criticism in the past for privacy and data collection concerns. According to WABetaInfo, the upcoming WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.20.28 update should signal the launch of this new safety feature.

Although users can already search links, WhatsApp is making the process more comprehensive and straightforward with the inclusion of a "safety screen" that pops up with information on how to perform the search. Users can search for more details about the link, or just search the message text itself. By improving the feature, WhatsApp wants to make it easier for people to identify links that contain harmful content before committing to opening it. This will help avoid further vulnerability fiascos like one from 2019, when it was revealed that spyware could be installed in WhatsApp by calling a number. And no, the person on the other end of the line didn't even need to answer.

There's no concrete release date yet, but WhatsApp says the feature is under development and will be released in the future. The link to the latest WhatsApp beta is available through the Google Play Store if you're interested in trying it out for yourself before its official launch. Just know that since it is a beta, some features might change in the final version.