WhatsApp adds option that allows only admins to send group messages

A day after a report emerged stating that WhatsApp may soon roll out a feature in group settings that only allows admins to converse in a group chat, WhatsApp has officially come out and made the feature official. [caption id=“attachment_4636701” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] Image: WhatsApp[/caption] To enable the setting, WhatsApp users on Android as well as iOS are required to update their apps to the latest version. Users can then open a group chat and tap on “Group Info,” tap Group Settings and find the “Send Messages” option and then select “Only Admins.” This will allow only group admins to converse while other participants will receive a footer which reads that the admin has disabled others from conversing in the group. The feature is, however, for the time being, limited to only one option so the admin still cannot block individual rights of a particular person to send messages. [caption id=“attachment_4636681” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] “Send Messages” option in Group Settings. Image: WhatsApp[/caption] Clarifying the need to introduce such a feature, WhatsApp in a statement said, “One way people use groups is to receive important announcements and information, including parents and teachers at schools, community centers, and non-profit organizations. We’ve introduced this new setting so admins can have better tools for these use cases.” WhatsApp does seem to be trying out a number of small additions to give admins greater control of their respective groups as the company was recently spotted testing a feature that allows senior group admins to strip newer admins of their status in the settings option.