Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, will roll out new privacy features across its messaging app.

Among the features are the ability to leave group chats without alerting other members, control who can view statuses and block screenshots of auto-deleting “view once” posts. Users will also be able to limit the contacts that can see when they are active on the platform.

Under the current rules, everyone in a group chat can see when a user leaves. Now, only admins will be notified.

In addition, the time limit for deleting messages will be increased – from a very specific 1 hour 8 minutes and 16 seconds up to 60 hours.

The UK will be one of the first markets to see a global advertising campaign promoting the new WhatsApp privacy features as they are rolled out. The status control and no-notification departures will come this month, while the company is working on how to deliver the anti-screenshotting feature.

“We believe WhatsApp is the most secure place to have a private conversation,” said WhatsApp Product head Ami Vora. “No other global messaging service at this scale provides this level of security for their users’ messages, media, voice messages, video calls, and chat back-ups.”

WhatsApp was at the centre of a controversy over a new user agreement that would have allowed Facebook, as Meta was still called, to access data.

Before that, WhatsApp users could opt-out of sharing their data reasons other than operating purposes. The new policy would have allowed Facebook and its subsidiary companies to use data to personalise advertising, among other reasons.

The move led to a significant backlash against WhatsApp. Not only did it get hit with a complaint from the European Consumer Organisation over how it presented the new policy, but it led to massive increases in downloads for rival encrypted messengers like Signal and Telegram.

While the company is keen to show its commitment to privacy and data protection, the other side of the controversy is the extent to which the messenger is too privacy focused.

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WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption, which means that the content of messages can only be viewed by the sender and the recipient. Companies, governments, law enforcement, hackers, and even the messaging service itself cannot access the content in transit.

Governments and law enforcement have attacked the practice and demanded workarounds that would allow them to access encrypted messages.

And a report from the Children’s Commissioner Office said end-to-end encryption puts children at risk, as predatory or inappropriate messages cannot be picked up on by the services or passed onto law enforcement.

WhatsApp has previously defended its use of end-to-end encryption. A year ago, it took out an ad campaign defending the practice and committing to privacy.

And last month, the company’s head, Will Cathcart, said in a BBC interview that the company would not lower its security standards.

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