WhatsApp apparently wants to give users a bit more control over the photos and videos they share on the messaging app. The company recently unveiled a new feature to iOS and Android beta testers that allows them to send messages that disappear.

As stated in WABetaInfo, WhatsApp on Friday released the “View Once” feature for iOS users, shortly after its rollout for Android users in end of June. The feature allows users to send photos and videos which will disappear from WhatsApp chats after being viewed once. It appears to be very similar to the functionality offered on Instagram and Facebook Messenger, although Instagram allows senders to allow recipients to review content before it disappears.

And, of course, all of these features build on the formula popularized by the endangered original media network: Snapchat.

Notably, according to the screenshots taken by WABetaInfo, the app will not prevent others from taking screenshots. The content will disappear in the sender’s chat and in the recipient’s chat if Show once is selected. Senders will be able to see if their content has been viewed in the chat by watching an “Open” message. For Android users, the feature was also available for group chats.

“For added privacy, your photo or video will disappear from the chat after the recipient opens it once,” reads the message announcing the feature in the app. “Remember, people can still take screenshots. “

The outlet reports that WhatsApp will not notify users if recipients have taken screenshots of their endangered content. He Explain this is because there is no surefire way to prevent users from taking screenshots and argues that claiming to do so would give users a false sense of security. Alas, who knows what people would send. Considering what people are sending in messages even when they know others might be taking screenshots, this is probably correct.

WhatsApp CEO Will Cathcart and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally confirmed this feature at WABetaInfo in early June, so it’s safe to say we’ll get it soon. Zuckerberg also mentioned a “disappearance mode,” which would make all your messages disappear in all chats and make your WhatsApp experience “fleeting,” in his words.

I mean, I guess some really private (or paranoid) people would dig into disappearance mode, but as someone who refers to WhatsApp messages to find friends’ addresses and other important information, that would pose a big problem to me. problem. To each their own, however.