WhatsApp has been introducing several new features lately, and one of the latest additions is the Status update mentions feature, a favorite among Instagram users.
This feature allows users to tag friends and family directly in their Status updates, enhancing engagement on the platform.
When creating a new WhatsApp status, you’ll notice a new @ button at the bottom right of the screen. By tapping the @ button, you can select and tag contacts you want to mention. The mentioned contacts will immediately receive a notification and a message in their chat, notifying them of the Status update. Additionally, these contacts can reshare your Status with their own network by tapping the “Reshare” button, located next to the reply box.
An important privacy feature is that only the mentioned contacts can see their tags in the Status update, ensuring their names remain hidden from other viewers.
There is, however, a notable difference between WhatsApp’s and Instagram’s implementation of this feature. While Instagram reveals the identity of the original post creator when their content is reshared, WhatsApp keeps the creator’s identity private when mentioned contacts share the Status.
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It’s important to note that even contacts blocked through your Status privacy settings will still be able to view your Status if they are tagged in it using this feature, which overrides the default privacy controls.
The feature is currently available only on Android devices, with iPhone users still waiting for access. To use it, you must be running WhatsApp beta version 2.24.20.3 or higher.
