WhatsApp’s new update to restrict unnecessary chatting and messages on groups

There is a spirit in many a Nigerian WhatsApp user that compels us to post messages, gory pictures of accidents and stale, untrue broadcast messages to WhatsApp groups we belong to. Some groups even have curfew that is blatantly disregarded by members who keep chatting away after hours; increasing the unread messages count on one’s phone. Incredible.

In a recent blog post, WhatsApp highlighted a few features its developers had added to the app following user behavior and complaints, like being re-added to a group you left again and again, among others and on June 29 2018, they took things a step further by announcing “a new group setting where only admins are able to send messages to a group,” noting that the update was necessary so as to give group admins more control over the way messages are sent across groups, especially the ones where important information and announcements are made and tend to be missed.

To enable this setting, open “Group Info,” tap Group Settings > Send Messages and select “Only Admins.” The developers at WhatsApp have said the setting will be available on the latest supported versions of the app on both Android and Apple devices to users all over the world. 

Also, it is now possible to set the purpose, guidelines, or topics for the group with new additions to the “Group description” feature as well as control who can change the group’s subject, icon, and description.

While admin permissions can also be controlled and creators of groups cannot be removed again, we are hopeful that admins do not see this as a type of government and end up exploiting the power given to them.

 

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