WhatsApp Safety Tips: Practices To Keep Your Account And Data Safe And Secure

Here are some WhatsApp safety tips that can help you keep your account and data safe from spammers and fraudsters.

META-owned WhatsApp which has over 487 million users based in India has been in the headlines for a few days ever since the government announced necessary actions over the security concerns. Recently, a massive chunk of users have started getting spam calls and messages from International numbers.

During the launch of the Sanchaar Saathi portal on Tuesday, Union telecom minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed that the platform has banned over 36 lakh mobile connections on the grounds of spam and fraud.

In the midst of all that is going on in and around the platform, the firm has announced 'Stay safe with WhatsApp' to educate users on how to protect their data and accounts on the network.

1. Two-Step Verification:

By allowing the user to create a PIN for account reset or verification, the two-step verification function provides an additional layer of protection. To protect against account theft or identity fraud, the platform will now need a six-digit PIN when resetting or verifying the account. Please keep in mind that the PIN needs to be kept private and that taps on any links shouldn't be compromised if you haven't applied for resetting or verifying.

2. Privacy Settings:

With the use of WhatsApp's specific privacy settings, users can control who may view their profile photo, last seen, online status, and even the About section. The user can unquestionably boost the security of their account by restricting it from utilising these settings.

3. Group Privacy Options:

In order to control who can add you to groups, users can now restrict the group invite mechanism. The features are designed to provide better privacy and stop unauthorised group members. The user can also secretly leave a group if they were added to an irrelevant one without receiving any reminder pop-ups.

4. Monitor Linked Devices:

It is advised that the user must check the linked WhatsApp devices and if you find any unfamiliar devices, you should immediately log out the device from the account.

5. Make Use Of Safety Features:

Numerous security safeguards on the site can help keep your account safe and secure. The Account Protect function, for instance, can notify you when an unauthorised attempt has been made, and the Automatic Security Codes can guarantee that the discussion is private by confirming the intended recipient.