Channels: WhatsApp Channels feature starts rolling out: What it is, 30-day expiry, admin controls and more – Times of India

WhatsApp Channels feature is finally here. The company calls it a simple, reliable, and private way to receive important updates from people and organizations, right within WhatsApp. “We’re building Channels in a new tab called Updates – where you’ll find Status and channels you choose to follow – separate from your chats with family, friends, and communities,” says WhatsApp in a blog post.
What is WhatsApp Channels
Channels are a one-way broadcast tool for admins to send text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls. To help you select channels to follow, the company says that it is building a searchable directory where users can find their hobbies, sports teams, updates from local officials, and more. Users can also join a WhatsApp Channel from invite links sent in chats, e-mail, or posted online.
Safety and privacy features
“We’re aspiring to build the most private broadcast service available. This starts by protecting the personal information of both admins and followers,” adds the blog talking about the privacy safeguards in the feature. This means that as a channel admin, your phone number and profile photo won’t be shown to followers. Likewise, following a channel won’t reveal users’ phone number to the admin or other followers. It is up to WhatsApp users who they decide to follow and it’s private.
Comes with 30-day expiry
“Similar to how we build messaging, we don’t believe Channel updates should have to stick around forever. So we’ll only store channel history on our servers for up to 30 days and we’ll add ways to make updates disappear even faster from follower’s devices,” the blog post says. This means all information in your WhatsApp Channels will stay for 30 days and will disappear post that. Admins will also have the option to block screenshots and forwards from their channel. Admins of WhatsApp Channels can decide who can follow their channel and whether they want their channel to be discoverable in the directory or not.
Not end-to-end encrypted by default
Given the aim of Channels is to reach a wide audience, WhatsApp added that channels are not end-to-end encrypted by default. “We do think there are some cases where end-to-end encrypted channels to a limited audience might make sense, such as a non profit or health organization, and we’re exploring this as a future option as well,” says the blog post.
WhatsApp Channels availability
As for the rollout of WhatsApp Channels, the company says that it will be initially available in Singapore and Columbia, the company will gradually expand it to other countries around the world. “To kick off Channels, we’re excited to work with leading global voices and select organizations in Colombia and Singapore, where Channels will first be available, to build, learn, and adapt the experience. We’ll bring Channels to more countries and the ability for anyone to create a channel over the coming months,” says the blog posts.
Channels support WhatsApp Payments
The blog post adds that the Channels feature supports WhatsApp Payments. It is, however, not exactly clear how. “We also believe there is an opportunity to support admins with a way for them to build a business around their channel using our expanding payment services as well as the ability to promote certain channels in the directory to help increase awareness,” say the post.