It’s worth noting that this platform is for users 16+, but often sees younger children using it for various reasons. A large safeguarding concern comes from WhatsApp privacy rules. It uses end-to-end-encryption (preventing any third-party from viewing messages between two or more people in a private chain) in all of its messages. This has led to further concern, as it makes it more difficult for relevant authorities to view potentially harmful material.  

Expected to release at the ‘end of the year’ as a new tab/section in the app, the Communities feature aims to bring together separate WhatsApp groups into one super group or ‘Community’. It will allow real-life communities to “communicate and coordinate” with each other (e.g., a neighborhood, restaurant staff, or school parents’ groups) by allowing administrators to organise all relevant group chats into one page. Users will receive notifications and updates that are sent to an entire Community by admins, as well as individual messages for smaller groups within that Community. The goal is to allow up to “thousands” of users to connect with one another more easily.

Admins will be given new tools that will help them to manage the conversations happening across their Community on the platform. Users will have the ability to leave a group or Community silently if they so choose (unlike presently, where entire groups are notified if someone leaves) and will have more accessible blocking and reporting features.

There are already planned and perceived limits that WhatsApp are considering with this function:

©WhatsApp

WhatsApp have said they will take action against any Communities who engage in abusive behaviour “such as distributing child sexual abuse material or coordinating violence or human trafficking.” However, they intend to do this through available unencrypted information (e.g., Community name or description) and will rely heavily on user reports to ensure groups are banned or disbanded. We are unable to test the effectiveness of this reporting function within the Communities feature at this time.

In April 2022, a new feature was uncovered in WhatsApp’s beta version. While this has not been officially announced by WhatsApp, the feature is being referred to as ‘Companion Mode’. It is similar to the ‘Linked Devices’ and ‘Phone-Free Messaging’ feature in that it allows users to access and use their WhatsApp account on a secondary device. However, this specifically refers to a second device as a ‘companion device’ that requires registration through scanning a provided code with the ‘main device’. It also includes tablets and other smartphones, whereas the previous features only included a computer as a secondary device.

New and Upcoming Features 

As WhatsApp is encrypted, if a child is sent an illegal image, they should NOT forward it on or screenshot the image, but instead report the URL to the Internet Watch Foundation. Learn more about image safety here.