WhatsApp is currently testing a new feature aimed at enhancing user privacy and security, known as the “Alternate Profile.”
This new feature was spotted in the latest beta version of the WhatsApp application on the Android platform. The Alternate Profile allows users to hide their personal information from strangers.
The feature will be available in the privacy settings of the user’s profile picture, it enables users to create a different profile picture and name that will be visible to contacts who do not have permission to view the user’s primary profile information.
For instance, if only contacts are allowed to see the user’s profile picture, individuals outside the contact list won’t be able to view it, but they will be able to see the picture and name of the Alternate Profile.
This feature adds an extra layer of protection for users’ personal data by assigning a secondary profile for unknown contacts, it will become especially valuable when WhatsApp provides every user with the ability to create a unique username.
The Alternate Profile feature is still in the testing phase and is currently limited to the beta versions of WhatsApp, it will be made available to all users in the future.
This feature is part of a series of privacy and security enhancements WhatsApp is currently experimenting with, including features like Passkeys, adding an email to the account, concealing IP addresses during calls, and more. These additions are aimed at improving the overall privacy and security of WhatsApp users.
