NEW DELHI: WhatsApp has reportedly added a new feature to its web version which will enable users to ask the company about their account information and settings. Called Request Account Info, the feature will allow users to ask WhatsApp for a report of their account information and settings. The feature was now available for Android and iOS users and now it has expanded to WhatsApp Web.
Using the feature users can submit a request to WhatsApp and export a report that consists of their account activity information, privacy settings and information about the devices which are used to access the instant-messaging app.
As reported by WABetaInfo, the platform that keeps a track of changes in the WhatsApp build, the WhatsApp Desktop beta version 2.2204.1 has references about the Request Account Info option. With the integration of this feature, WhatsApp aims to allow the desktop users to generate a report that consists of their account information and settings.
The Meta-owned app introduced a similar feature for its Android and iOS apps in 2018. The company rolled out the feature after the new data privacy rules of the European Union. The EU’s privacy law, known as European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), allows users to download their data and transfer it.
Recently, WhatsApp banned over 2 million Indian accounts in December 2021. According to the compliance report, WhatsApp said 20,79,000 Indian accounts were banned on WhatsApp during December 2021. Previously, the Meta-owned company had stated that more than 95 percent of bans are due to the unauthorised use of automated or bulk messaging (spam).
Over 1.75 million Indian accounts were banned by WhatsApp, while 602 grievance reports were received by the messaging platform in November. WhatsApp, in its latest report, said it has received 528 user reports spanning across account support (149), ban appeal (303), other support (29), product support (34) and safety (13) during December 2021.
