WhatsApp has over 220 million monthly active users worldwide. The app has already reversed an action that some users regularly performed towards some of their contacts. Privacy and its protection were the reasons why the app, owned by Meta, removed this function.
WhatsApp said “enough”
Try taking a screenshot of one of your contacts’ profile picture. Bingo, it is no longer possible, and instead you will receive a message like this: “Screenshot locked. In order to protect the privacy of all WhatsApp users, this screenshot has been blocked.”
WhatsApp’s decision to block screenshots of users’ profile pictures is a measure that, far from appearing restrictive, helps to strengthen everyone’s privacy.
The WhatsApp profile photo is part of our identity and it is common for us to have our own so that they can identify us. However, there are people who have profile photos on WhatsApp of minors, whether they are their children or grandchildren or a nephew. This is something that we have already discussed on several occasions and, in particular, and I speak personally, I consider it to be something totally inappropriate. Block screenshots of WhatsApp profile photos prevents these photographs from escaping our control and are distributed without our permission. Yes, there are very bad people on WhatsApp who can do us a lot of harm and others may not realize it.
Likewise, this measure helps discourage many people who might adopt totally invasive behaviors and resort to harassment or surveillance of other users. Block WhatsApp profile picture screenshot significantly limits the ability to collect graphical information other contacts.
With this blocking of the profile photo on WhatsApp, the application demonstrates a genuine commitment to privacysomething that should be a constant and that users demand with increasing force.
This option to block screenshots of profile picture on WhatsApp It is available since the last updateand affects both iPhone and Android devices. So if you’ve been using this feature to collect information from someone, that’s something you thankfully won’t be able to do anymore.
