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Sniffing on a partner’s phone is not unheard of in a distrustful or unfaithful relationship.
But WhatsApp users joked that cheating has now been “upgraded” thanks to the app’s new Chat Lock feature, which lets users lock up secret conversations with a password.
While it can be used for more innocuous purposes like planning surprises, many have thanked owner Mark Zuckerberg for helping to keep infidelity under the radar.
“This is so wonderful and wonderful news, thank you sir,” said one Facebook user. “Cheating has been upgraded.”
Yet a cybersecurity expert also warned that it could be used for ‘evil purposes’, with numerous Metropolitan Police officers previously charged and fired over discriminatory WhatsApp messages.
WhatsApp users joke that it’s now easier to cheat partners thanks to a new feature
The Chat Lock feature was rolled out as part of WhatsApp’s ongoing effort to keep messages “private and secure.”
One blog post said, “Locking a chat will take that thread out of the inbox and put it behind its own folder that can only be accessed with your device password or biometric, such as a fingerprint. It also automatically hides the content of that chat from notifications.
“We think this feature will be great for people who have a reason to share their phone with a family member from time to time or for those times when someone else is holding your phone when an extra special chat comes in.”
Still, Facebook has been inundated with comments after Zuckerberg suggested it could be used to hide a “secret sauce recipe” and a “fight club.”
Drawing on the 1999 movie starring Brad Pitt, one user quipped, “First rule of fight club…”
Another added: “On behalf of the CPA, we commend the great work you are doing.”
Someone else chimed in: ‘Wow, this is absolutely fascinating and groundbreaking!
“The realm of deceit has just entered a whole new level of sophistication and advancement. Thank you for informing us with this intriguing information.’
Chat Lock allows users to hide secret conversations with a password or biometrics
Facebook has been flooded with comments after Zuckerberg shared an image suggesting it could be used to hide a ‘secret sauce recipe’ and a ‘fight club’
However, the position also comes at a time when numerous Metropolitan Police officers have been charged or fired over discriminatory messages.
Wayne Couzens, Sarah Everard’s killer, turned out to be part of a WhatsApp group called ‘Bottles & Stoppers’ where officers joked about rape.
Meanwhile, eight Metropolitan Police officers were previously charged with their involvement in another twisted WhatsApp conversation.
The so-called ‘Secret Squirrel S**t’ chat was found to contain sexist, racist, homophobic and transphobic profanity.
With that in mind, Jake Moore, a Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET, believes privacy features can be used for “nefarious” purposes, though he acknowledged it’s hard to pinpoint how that is so early.
He said: ‘It’s hard to point the finger at who specifically would use the feature, but it could indeed point to nefarious use.
Locking chats with a passcode adds a layer of security and improves privacy from prying eyes during physical contact.
“There are many other privacy-focused chat applications available, but WhatsApp is clearly the frontrunner for most people. While messages are sent with end-to-end encryption (meaning such messages cannot be intercepted), the device passcode is the key to unlocking these messages.
“For more private chats, the ‘Disappearing Messages’ feature in the app adds a much better level of security, completely erasing messages after a certain amount of time.”
To lock a chat, users need to open the WhatsApp and tap on the name of a group or one-on-one conversation.
A lock option should then appear, which will prompt users to enter the device password or biometrics to secure that chat.
To reveal it, a password or biometrics must be applied after opening a WhatsApp inbox.
WhatsApp claims more options will be added to this in the coming months, as the company believes texting should be as private as face-to-face conversations.
It said, “In the coming months, we’ll be adding more options for Chat Lock, including locking for associated devices and creating a custom password for your chats so you can use a unique password that’s different from the one you use for your phone.” .’
WhatsApp has been approached for comment.