Facebook-owned social media platforms have a long history of taking features from its competitors, years after they were initially announced. WhatsApp, one of the world’s most popular messaging apps, introduced “Disappearing Messages” in 2020, with the line “because not all messages need to stay forever”.
The feature let’s users set messages to disappear after seven days. Now, according to a report by WABetaInfo, the company is testing the option to let users reduce this duration to 24 hours.
According to the report, WhatsApp will add the 24-hour option alongside the 7 days option. “Turning on this setting will make new messages disappear in this chat after the selected amount of time. Recipients can still save these messages elsewhere,” a disclaimer by Whatsapp was reported saying.
That more duration options would be introduced was hinted by WhatsApp in 2020.
“We're starting with seven days because we think it offers peace of mind that conversations aren't permanent, while remaining practical so you don't forget what you were chatting about. The shopping list or store address you received a few days ago will be there while you need it, and then disappear after you don't,” WhatsApp had said when introducing the disappearing messages the previous year.
Rivals Signal and Telegram already had options for shorter duration disappearing messages. Instagram, in a nod to SnapChat, has the feature to let messages disappear immediately after the recipient has sent them.
