Whatsapp

A few weeks ago, a WhatsApp beta build revealed work on disappearing messages that vanish after they’re read. Now, WhatsApp is developing another ephemeral messaging feature. Here are the details. View-once text messages underway Last month, WABetaInfo reported that a WhatsApp beta build on TestFlight had added an “After reading” option to the app’s existing disappearing messages feature. Currently, WhatsApp’s disappearing messages setting officially supports timers for 24 hours, 7 days, and 90 days. With the new option, which has yet to roll out broadly, users will also be able to set new messages to vanish after they’ve been read. Now, WABetaInfo reports that WhatsApp is working on yet another ephemeral messaging feature. Although it isn’t available to beta testers yet, the feature will let users send view-once text messages, expanding an option that is already available for photos, videos, and voice notes. From WABetaInfo: After typing a message in the chat bar, users will be able to set the view-once option by long-pressing the Send button. This action will present a dropdown menu with the option “Send as view once”. Once sent, the recipient can open the message once before it becomes inaccessible. The feature will be available in

17 June 2026 01:40 This year, WhatsApp developers began testing voice and video calling features in the web version of the messaging platform. While the functionality has not yet been officially released, its logical next step is already underway — the introduction of these calling features to group chats. Some users of the WhatsApp Web beta version have received notifications that group chats with up to 32 participants now support voice calls, video calls, and screen sharing, according to reports from WABetaInfo . Starting a group call in WhatsApp Web works in much the same way as in a private chat. Users simply open a group conversation and look for the call button at the top of the chat window. After clicking it, they can choose between a voice or video call and join the session. It is also possible to select specific group members to participate in the call rather than automatically including everyone in the chat. As with the mobile app, WhatsApp says that group voice and video calls on the web platform are protected by end-to-end encryption and support call invitation links. Users can join the WhatsApp Web beta programme through the web app’s settings menu. However

Users who rely on WhatsApp’s web version will soon be able to make voice and video calls in group chats. Here are the details. Voice and video calls coming soon to group chats on WhatsApp Web Earlier this year, WhatsApp began testing voice and video call support on the web. While the feature still hasn’t officially rolled out beyond this initial test, the company is already working on the next logical step: bringing these calls to group chats. As spotted by WABetaInfo , some users on the WhatsApp Web beta received a notification telling them calling on the web is now available on group chats, with support for up to 32 people. That includes voice and video calls, with support for screen sharing. Image: WABetaInfo From WABetaInfo: Starting a group call on WhatsApp Web works the same way as in individual chats. After opening a group chat, you should look for the call button at the top of the conversation. If you can see the call button, the feature is already available for your account. Clicking the button will let you choose between a voice call and a video call before connecting with the group. In addition, users can select

In May 2025, a group of Uber drivers in Salvador had fewer than 20 people and functioned as a chat space on WhatsApp. Today, the Track Rats are almost 8,000 members distributed across eight chat groups and eight rescue groups, with confirmed presence in Bahia, Sergipe, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. The name came from one of the founding members, Igor Barreto, who used the word rat in the sense of someone who circulates anywhere without prejudice. “At first we were a bit hesitant because rat conjures up something negative in many people’s minds,” admits one of the organizers in the Jornal Correio video. The redefinition stuck. What started as a chat space among friends who roamed the city transformed into an ecosystem that the Uber drivers themselves define with this word: rat’s barbershop, beauty salon for the ratonas, optics with glasses for R$ 200 for members, partner car wash in Castelo Branco that was the first to close a deal with the group. The logic is simple and powerful: volume for discount. With almost 8,000 drivers as a guaranteed audience, the collective can sit with companies and request conditions that an individual driver could never obtain. The Correio report showed

Photo: Goffs London Sale It’s time for one of the most glamorous bloodstock galas (and sales) of the year, staged in sight of Kensington Palace. More than 20 lots are slated to head into town for a sale that’s as eccentric as it is thrilling, unfurling in a corner of Hyde Park, central London. The Goffs London Sale is to Royal Ascot what the Keeneland Championship Sale is to the Breeders’ Cup and the ARQANA Arc Sale is to the following day’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. That’s to say, with the globe’s racing gliterari already at hand, it engenders excitement before the start of a prime fixture. Trade tipped over an £8,000,000 total last year and, only two years back, bidding went to £8,100,000 for one lot alone: the previous day’s Prix de Diane heroine Sparkling Plenty who, initially vendored, was later sold privately for a still huge £5,000,000. While such a startling price mightn’t necessarily be realised in 2026, this year’s sale bursts with promise nevertheless, and that’s even before wildcards are factored in, their numbers including Lot 24, the Greenham-winning Alparslan. Commenting on the catalogue, Henry Beeby, Chief Executive of Goffs Group, said he was looking forward to

Maharashtra’s state electricity distributor Mahavitaran (MSEDCL) has sent a WhatsApp message to consumers across the state giving them a 48-hour notice that their existing meters will be replaced with smart meters, reigniting a controversy over the statewide rollout that has already drawn widespread consumer protests. The message, sent directly to registered mobile numbers, informs consumers who do not yet have smart meters that replacement will take place within 48 hours. Mahavitaran has clarified that the meter replacement process is entirely free and that no charges will be levied at any stage. Consumers have been asked to cooperate with company personnel during installation and to immediately complain to Mahavitaran if any payment is demanded. The WhatsApp notice has, however, triggered fresh pushback. Even as the message assures consumers of a no-cost process, many across Nagpur and Maharashtra continue to oppose smart meter installation. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier assured legislators that no consumer would be forced to accept a smart meter — an assurance the 48-hour notice appears to contradict, critics say. Mahavitaran maintains that smart meters provide technology-driven, accurate billing, enable consumers to monitor usage via mobile, and eliminate human error in meter reading. Consumers on solar connections can

Through Meta, Instagram Plus targets Stories, profile, and metrics, starting at R$ 5 and then R$ 10, and WhatsApp Plus focuses on conversation organization, for R$ 7. Basic use remains free, but beware, unofficial modified versions with the same name can take down the account. Meta officially launched the paid subscriptions Instagram Plus and WhatsApp Plus, which offer extra features for customization, privacy, and organization, while the traditional versions of both apps remain free for all users. The new feature expands the company’s subscription strategy within two of the most used networks in the world. The conventional versions of Instagram and WhatsApp remain free. According to the report by Forbes published on June 4, the company’s goal is to offer premium functions for those who want more control over their experience on the platforms. Instagram Plus focuses on Stories, profile customization, and more detailed metrics, while WhatsApp Plus focuses on customization and conversation organization. The plans start at R$ 5 and R$ 7, without making the subscription mandatory. New features of the plus versions (Photo: Reproduction) Instagram Plus is an optional subscription mainly aimed at Stories. According to NSC Total, Meta focuses in this version exclusive tools for profile customization

Published 13 hours ago • loading... • Updated 13 hours ago Meta says fewer than 10 WhatsApp users were targeted in phishing attempts linked to NSO Group despite a permanent injunction. On Monday, Meta announced it is filing a federal court contempt order against NSO Group for violating a permanent injunction barring the company from targeting WhatsApp and its users. Last year, a U.S. court issued a permanent injunction barring NSO from targeting WhatsApp, following a legal battle that forced the firm to pay $4 million in damages. Investigating user reports, Meta disrupted "NSO-linked social engineering attempts" where attackers tried to trick users into clicking malicious links redirecting to external websites and created unauthorized test accounts on the platform. WhatsApp wrote that NSO, on the United States government's Entity List, continues to defy courts, warning that easing restrictions would undermine national security and endanger billions of people worldwide. While NSO appeals the permanent injunction and pursues American market entry, 12 civil rights organizations filed amicus briefs last month to support Meta in defending the court order against the spyware maker. Podcasts & Opinions Think freely. Subscribe and get full access to Ground News Subscriptions start at $9.99/year Subscribe Hawkdive.com broke

Updated on Friday, June 12 at 4:22 p.m. ET — Meta's status page indicates that all disruptions have been restored and all disruptions are now concluded. Updated on Friday, June 12, at 1:26 p.m. ET — Andy Stone, Meta VP of Communications, posted an update on X that stated Meta services were being restored. The Meta status page for its business services listed most of the June 12 disruptions as resolved. "We have recovered from an earlier outage impacting Ads Creation and Editing, and services have now been restored. We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused." However, the WhatsApp Business Platform still showed "High Disruptions" as of this writing. Updated on Friday, June 12 at 1:15 p.m. ET — As of this writing, the outages for Meta's services appear to be on their way out, at least according to DownDetector. Meta has not provided an official cause for the outage yet, however. Some of Meta's products had a hard time on Friday morning. Services like Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp all experienced temporary service outages to start the weekend. The cause is unknown at this point in time, but Meta's VP of Communications, Andy Stone, acknowledged the outage on

El Salvador International Airport has launched an official WhatsApp help channel for passengers who need quick information before, during or after their trip through the country’s main air terminal. The new contact number is +503 7070 8312. According to CEPA, the government port and airport authority, passengers can use the channel to ask about airport services, the location of areas inside the terminal, lost items, flight itineraries and general travel support related to the airport. The new WhatsApp contact gives travelers one more direct way to get basic airport guidance without having to search through different offices or wait until they arrive at the terminal. That can be useful for visitors arriving for the first time, families coordinating pickups, travelers with tight connections, or anyone trying to find a specific airport area. The airport, officially named Aeropuerto Internacional de El Salvador San Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, is located in San Luis Talpa, La Paz, and serves as the country’s main international gateway. The new help channel comes as passenger traffic continues to grow at the airport, which handled more than 5.2 million passengers in 2025, including arrivals, departures and connections. CEPA said the WhatsApp line is intended to improve