You Can Now reject invitations to WhatsApp Groups in The New Whatsapp Beta
Depending on who you ask, WhatsApp Groups represent different things from informative, to a means of keeping in touch with a larger number of people at once, to being annoying and even downright unnecessary. Especially when it has to do with groups you very well do not want to be a part of. At all.
Even with the pros/advantages groups bring, many WhatsApp users have expressed displeasure at the fact that anyone their phone numbers can invite them to groups, with or without their consent. What is worse is that, you cannot reject the invitations as there us option for that. It is problematic especially when it comes to situations where leaving the group(s) is not something that is an option for one reason or the other.
That appears to have changed.
WhatsApp must have listened to its users because it has begun to include a solution in an update which will be released very soon. WABetaInfo, says there are hints of a group invitation system in the iOS version of the WhatsApp Beta app. The website also confirmed that the feature will be available on the Android Beta version as well.
How It Works
In order to access this new feature when it is released on the official WhatsApp android and IOS versions, you will need to go to navigate to Settings > Account > Privacy > Groups. Once there, you will be able to specify who can add you to groups. Nobody, Contacts and Everyone, are the options users will be given to choose from. Choosing the Nobody option, simply means you will get a notification whenever group administrators try to add you to any WhatsApp group. The notification will let you accept or reject the invitation, which will be valid for 72 hours. More than enough time for one to decide whether or not they wish to be in said group(s).
So far, as opposed to picking your device up to discover “Brathe added you to Form ni gani“, setting it to ‘Nobody’ is the far better option if you ask me.
It is unclear however, if group administrators can resend invitations if you reject the initial one and if they will be notified when you reject invitations.
WhatsApp users however, will still be able to join groups through group invitation links.
While this new feature (when finally released to the general public) might not necessarily put an end to the dangers of misinformation through messages, pictures and videos for propaganda sent in WhatsApp Groups, messages, pictures and videos used to create panic and cause unrest, it is indeed a step in the right direction.
… Or Isn’t it?
