In the recent update, Telegram offered new possibilities to channel and group admins. It seems that WhatsApp by Facebook, still the most influential messaging app around, goes the same way. Leaks have it that in the next update group admins will be able to delete messages sent to chats by other users.
As the pictures show, a message in a group chat now can be deleted by the group admin. After that, the body of the message becomes unavailable as well as any attachment. Instead, it shows the text “This was removed by an admin”. The nickname of the sender, as well as the date and time of publication, remain even after deletion. It’s not clear yet if an admin can restore deleted messages and how long the possibility remains open.
So far, the new feature is being tested. Though it was first mentioned on WABetaInfo, a website that tracks changes in beta versions of WhatsApp, the publication highlights that the feature is not functional yet. The update covered in this publication only contains the announcement of the feature. It looks like a tradition for gadget vendors to make an announcement, but that’s the way it’s done in the XXI century.
This feature may seem totalitarian to some, but to others, it’s the tool that enables group chats to be decent and law-abiding and, at least, maintains their own rules. Imagine a situation when someone leaves messages of an obviously indecent kind. For now, admins can do almost nothing with it but ban the user. The same with spoilers for movies, TV shows, and video games: if they are not welcomed in the group, it makes sense to delete them before they are read.
Are you an admin in any group chat? Has there been a time when you missed this feature? Do you hope it will help you to moderate chats better? Will it make WhatsApp a safer place? Let’s speak our minds in the comments!
