Right now, the app already provides a feature to hide profile images via Settings > Privacy > Profile Photo, with options like Everyone, Nobody, and My Contacts, along with the ability to hide them from selected contacts. The new feature takes this a step further by preventing other users, including contacts, from taking a screenshot of the profile picture.
As some of you may have thought already, you can still generally bypass this feature by simply taking a picture of the image itself using another device’s camera. Additionally, it’s still quite easy to save a contact’s display image by just using WhatsApp Web. At the very least, though, WhatsApp seems to be leading among popular messaging apps in restricting screenshots of profile images, as neither Telegram nor Signal currently offers such a feature.
Still a Layer, Even if a Thin One
Actual practicality aside, it is clear that WhatsApp intends to give users greater control over their personal information. Even if an external bypass is possible, internally at least it prevents direct casual sharing without consent. Thus, this feature complements existing privacy options in WhatsApp, such as the ability to hide profile pictures from selected contacts or all users.
Indeed, the general consensus is that it is still an extra layer of protection that discourages misuse. Basically, a positive net good in mitigating privacy risk factors, particularly the possibility of other malicious actors impersonating the identity of the stolen profile picture. Since, if they can only take a picture from outside the device, identifying it as a fraud becomes quite easier.
Potential New Standard for Privacy?
This move by WhatsApp could potentially set a new standard for messaging apps regarding user privacy. While alternatives like Telegram and Signal offer privacy features, such as limiting who can view a profile image, they do not currently restrict screenshots of display pictures.
Telegram, for instance, even has a dedicated “Save to Gallery” button for profile pictures, while Signal allows users to limit screenshots on the device. However, neither app prevents users from taking screenshots of display pictures, as WhatsApp’s new feature aims to do.
In any case, if you are interested in checking out the new feature, the very version of WhatsApp mentioned earlier is already available at the Google Play Store. As to when the automatic (official) update would take place, it’s probably just around the corner at this point.
