WhatsApp update.

I have looked at this now.
It basically allows people not in your contacts to add you to their group.

So, for example, I am part of a real life group where we decided once that we would have a WhatsApp group to stop having to communicate by sending email messages to a much wider group. None of these people were previously contacts of the "leader" or each other but she was able to set it up whilst we were on a zoom call.

I've also had a work situation where only one person out of 30 or so had access to the phone numbers and obviously no-one was in her contacts. I don't think she would have wanted her contacts cluttering up with this kind of stuff to be honest. I certainly wouldn't.

Obviously you can be "invited" into a group but this was so much easier.

Just follow the instructions and see what your privacy setting is. If it says 'everyone' when you want 'contacts only' what harm can it do to change it on your own phone?

I will check this before doing anything. Warning bells ringing.
?

But the op said .....can add you to a group without your knowing.
Impossible to ignore if you dont know!
I've changed my settings gs following your post shysal, so Thanks for that.
I suppose we have to wait and see if shysals info is itself a scam?
What a world!!

This information was forwarded to me from a friend of a friend who is a police officer who was notified at work:

I never take any notice of a friend of a friend, etc.

How do you know this is not a hoax?

MerylStreep

I have my doubts as there’s nothing on line.
And I’d never change any security settings on the information given by ^friend of a friend^

Agree...it sounded a bit odd to me too.

I have my doubts as there’s nothing on line.
And I’d never change any security settings on the information given by friend of a friend

My daughter has just said it shouldn’t be a problem. She said that setting just updates who you can add to a group. So if someone you don’t know...adds you...just ignore it.

Can’t find groups on settings ...?

I run a Telegram account B9. That's like Signal. I do prefer WhataApp though but definitely take your point.

Is this real?
I can't find anything about it online though I did find this about privacy.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2021/01/12/you-can-use-whatsapp-after-facebook-apple-imessage-and-signal-backlash-but-change-this/amp/

How do we know this isn’t a scam, and by changing settings opens our privacy? Surely WhatsApp should have notified people?

I have switched away from WhatsApp to Signal, (www.signal.org) as have my friends and family. I have had enough of Mark Zuckerberg grabbing my data. I refused to sign the altered agreement to give Facebook businesses my contacts, which means WhatsApp will cut off my account in stages as from two days ago. There are alternatives!

Many thanks. ?

Thanks! I've passed it on.

Shysal Thank you for that. Much appreciated. By the way, I'm pleased with my new Flymo

Lucca

Oops would that mean people you know could see something private you wrote and you don’t want them to know ?

No, it only applies to any groups you belong to .

Thank you Shysal for the info , on the same privacy settings it’s worth also worth noting that you can change About/Status/Profile photo / Last seen also to your preferences .

Oops would that mean people you know could see something private you wrote and you don’t want them to know ?

Thank you; just done.

Thanks just done mine ?

Yes thanks so much...I didn't have a clue, but will pass the info on to everyone I know.

Thanks for that appreciate it.

Me, too! Thank you for the advice, shysal, and for your clear instructions. Much appreciated!

Thank you for letting us all know. I have checked mine and changed it to 'My Contacts'