Learn how to silence calls from strangers on WhatsApp

New privacy features: silence calls from strangers

According to Fabio Assolini, director of the Analysis and Research Team for Latin America at Kaspersky, the databases from which our telephone numbers can be obtained come from various sources, for example, from Internet pages where users register for a different topic, such as to make a purchase or subscribe to something.

“Some companies that collect this type of information from their customers may present data leaks, which are reported, however, users let these alerts pass and the information may end up for sale on the Dark Web site. In a simpler scenario, it would be enough for a victim to fall into one of these traps to obtain her contact list and for cybercriminals to continue replicating this tactic with their acquaintances, ”Assolini pointed out. Therefore, having control of who communicates with your WhatsApp is relevant.

Silence calls from strangers is a tool designed to give you more privacy and control over incoming calls. Allows you to automatically remove spam, scams and calls from unknown callers to increase protection. These calls will not ring on your phone, but will be recorded in the call list, in case any of them turn out to be from someone important.

In the event that a call manages to enter and is annoying for the user, you can also report it. To do so, you must go to the call log, press and hold the call you want to report, and then click on the “Report call” option.

In addition to the calls function, the Meta platform will have a quick privacy check, which allows users to know all the protection options in WhatsApp.

This step-by-step feature guides you through important privacy options to help you choose the right level of protection, all in one place. Select “Start review” in your privacy settings to see various levels of privacy that make your messages, calls, and personal information more secure.

“Protecting your private communication is important because we know that people need a safe place to communicate. We are spreading this message around the world in new ways to communicate why this is so important. Starting this week, we will encourage people to communicate securely through private messages to let friends and loved ones know they have a safe space where they can express themselves,” according to the company.

More secure spaces… also online

According to YouGov research, commissioned by the messaging platform, almost three-quarters of women (73%) say they would talk openly about their problems if a friend contacted them privately.

It is therefore essential that this space is safe to communicate, so to encourage women to communicate with each other in private, it has partnered with award-winning actress Anushka Sharma in India and Alex Scott MBE, broadcaster, former footballer of England and Arsenal and advocate for women’s safety in the UK to launch a series of mirrored messages that appear in other private spaces – women’s toilets – in public spaces in the UK and Delhi, India.

A message will appear on the bathroom mirror when activated by motion, along with a QR code offering hints for checking the woman’s presence via private WhatsApp message. Afterwards, the message will disappear without a trace, just like WhatsApp messages.