Fewer routes into an account
WhatsApp announced Strict Account Settings on 27 January, an optional mode intended for people exposed to sophisticated, targeted cyberattacks. Meta identified journalists and public figures as possible users. The mode applies a bundle of restrictive settings rather than asking someone to find each control separately.
The trade-off is everyday access
The restrictions include blocking media and attachments from unknown senders and silencing calls from unfamiliar numbers. Other settings can limit how the app works, so enabling the mode changes which communications reach the user. Meta said rollout would take place over the following weeks, with the control under Settings, Privacy and Advanced. The feature adds restrictions around incoming contact alongside WhatsApp’s existing encryption for personal messages and calls.
Sources & further reading
Meta’s Strict Account Settings announcementPublished by Capvise Media. Editorial standards · Corrections
