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Meta-owned instant messaging platform WhatsApp has announced a new privacy feature that would let users hide IP addresses on phone calls. In a blog post, WhatsApp announced that it has started rolling out an optional feature that gives users the option to enable the “Protect IP address in calls” option through the advanced settings menu under the Privacy section.
WhatsApp establishes direct person-to-person connection between users to ensure best possible voice quality, but this also requires the connected devices to reveal their IP addresses to each other. Now, WhatsApp is adding an extra layer of security to establish a more secure and private connection during voice calls.
WhatsApp said this new privacy setting relays all calls through its servers to obfuscate users’ location, rather than connecting the phone call directly to the receiver.
In related news, WhatsApp is reportedly testing an email verification method for logging into accounts. The feature is said to be currently under beta testing for select Android users and is expected to roll out for general users in the coming months. It should be noted that the option to log into accounts using email would likely be an alternative to the default method that uses one-time password authentication via SMS.
