Do you find it annoying when total strangers add you to WhatsApp groups you don't want to be in? WhatsApp introduced the option to prevent this in November 2019. The catch: you have to activate it first. After the change to new terms of use in May 2021, there was further excitement because some settings had slipped back to the standard. This can always happen with updates - there doesn't have to be any malicious intent on the part of the provider. That's why you should always check whether your individual settings are still correct.
The default setting on WhatsApp is that users can add anyone else to groups - whether they know them or not.
Here's how to set up group invites instead of being added directly to other people's groups:
- Open Settings
- Tap Data Protection
- There you will find the Groups and can specify who can add you to such groups without your consent.
Invitations to confirm
Now to the setting options:
- If you keep it as “Everyone”, both acquaintances and strangers can add you to groups as before.
- If you choose “My Contacts”, no strangers can add you anywhere, only your contacts.
- If you tap " My contacts, except... ", you can select saved people who are not allowed to add you to groups directly. At the top right you can select all of them at once with a button. If you do this, you will have set WhatsApp so that no one can add you to groups anymore . You will then always receive an invitation that you must confirm before you can join the group. So your attitude doesn't rule out the possibility of getting back into groups at all.
What can also be really annoying: If new contacts are added in the future, you have to tick them in the data protection settings. Otherwise they can add you to groups without asking.
When WhatsApp announced the feature on April 3, 2019, it originally provided the “Nobody” option, which would have been much more convenient. But that wasn't implemented. Instead – six months later – the existing options were published.
Source:
Checked4you
Also read our fact checks:
Nattokinase is not a “lifesaver for those affected by spike vaccination”
All clear: Fever juice “IMET” for children is approved in Germany
Ban on electric cars on Norwegian ferries?
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )