WhatsApp was working on a feature to block messages from unknown accounts. This feature would have allowed users to automatically block incoming messages from unknown accounts if they exceeded a certain volume, helping to protect against unwanted or potentially harmful communications, El.kz reports citing wabetainfo.com.
It appears that WhatsApp is now testing this feature with the public, as some beta testers can experiment with an option to manage message filtering from unknown accounts. Thanks to the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.20.16 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a security feature to block messages from unknown accounts!
To enable this option, users can navigate to their privacy settings under the Advanced section, where the new block unknown account messages option is available. Once enabled, this feature will automatically block messages from unknown accounts if they exceed a high volume, providing users with better protection against unwanted communications.
It is important note that this feature does not block all unknown messages when it is turned on. Instead, it specifically targets accounts that are sending an unusually large number of messages in a short period. This ensures that users still receive important messages from unknown contacts, while also protecting their device performance by preventing spam overload. The algorithm will track message rates from unknown accounts and automatically lift the block when the messaging volume returns to normal. As a result, users are not permanently blocking all unknown contacts but only those engaging in suspicious activity. It is worth noting that WhatsApp will also recommend enabling this feature if it detects that a user is receiving a significant amount of messages from unknown accounts, helping to safeguard against potential spam or phishing attempts.
A security feature to block messages from unknown accounts is available to some beta testers who install the latest updates of WhatsApp beta for Android from the Google Play Store, and it is rolling out to even more people over the coming weeks.