Key Takeaways
- A verified chat from WhatsApp’s official account appeared at 20:15 (Europe/Amsterdam time) with a short video (17 seconds) and guidance to manage profile visibility in Settings → Privacy → Information.
- The message, originally in Spanish, explains that by default only contacts can see the Information section and invites users to restrict visibility further. (translated from Spanish)
- WhatsApp’s Help Center confirms you can choose who sees your last seen/online, profile photo, About, status updates, links on profile, and who can add you to groups—with options such as Everyone, My contacts, My contacts except…, Nobody.
- End-to-end encryption protects message content, but profile visibility and metadata exposure depend on your settings, so a quick checkup matters.
Story & Details
A blue-check-marked, verified chat named “WhatsApp” shared a short explainer and this instruction (translated from Spanish): “Maintain the level of privacy you want for your data in the Information section. By default, only your contacts can see it. You can also limit other people’s ability to view it. Go to Settings, tap Privacy, then Information.” The chat footer read “Only WhatsApp can send messages,” reinforcing that it was an official broadcast rather than spam.
What to do next is straightforward. Open Settings → Privacy and review a small set of switches that have an outsized impact on what others can learn about you at a glance:
- Last seen & online, profile photo, About, links on profile, status updates, and group invites. For each, choose Everyone, My contacts, My contacts except…, or Nobody. These choices live together, so it takes only a minute to set a consistent policy across items.
- Be aware of reciprocity rules: if you hide your last seen, you generally cannot view others’ last seen.
- Group-invite controls keep strangers from adding you without consent.
The official reminder is a nudge to revisit these preferences, because the strongest protection—end-to-end encryption (E2EE)—covers message contents, not your profile card or who can ping you. Independent explainers and the WhatsApp Help Center both stress that privacy on WhatsApp is a mix of encryption and user-visible settings you control.
Conclusions
A verified message from WhatsApp is a useful cue to audit profile visibility. In a couple of taps—Settings → Privacy—you can keep your photo, About, and status updates limited to people you actually know, rein in group invites, and decide how much “last seen” information you share. That small tune-up complements E2EE and keeps casual snooping to a minimum.
Sources
- WhatsApp Help Center — How to change your privacy settings: https://faq.whatsapp.com/3307102709559968
- WhatsApp Help Center — About last seen and online: https://faq.whatsapp.com/419827870318306
- WhatsApp Help Center — Privacy checkup overview: https://faq.whatsapp.com/143990998547188
- WhatsApp Help Center — Manage status privacy: https://faq.whatsapp.com/502161774931737
- WhatsApp Help Center — Group privacy settings: https://faq.whatsapp.com/1131457590844955
- YouTube (official WhatsApp tutorial) — How to change your privacy settings on WhatsApp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvmgzegBI5M
- Wired — How to Boost WhatsApp’s Privacy and Better Protect Your Data: https://www.wired.com/story/whatsapp-privacy-security-settings/
Appendix
Translation of the Official Notice
Original Spanish message rendered in English for clarity: “Maintain the level of privacy you want for your data in the Information section. By default, only your contacts can see your data in the Information section. You can also limit other people’s ability to view it. Go to Settings, tap Privacy, then Information.” (translated from Spanish)
What “Information” Means in WhatsApp
In everyday WhatsApp use, Information refers to profile elements such as profile photo and About text that other users may view. The term reflects WhatsApp’s internal labeling in settings and is widely used in help documentation.
What a “Verified Account” Signifies
A verified account shows a blue check next to the profile name to confirm authenticity. On WhatsApp, this indicates the account genuinely represents the service or organization, reducing the risk of following advice from impersonators.
What “End-to-End Encryption (E2EE)” Covers
End-to-end encryption ensures only sender and recipient can read message contents; WhatsApp’s servers cannot decrypt them. This protection does not automatically control who sees your profile details or who may add you to groups, which is why the privacy menu remains essential.
Time Reference
The received message time was 20:15; the Netherlands uses Europe/Amsterdam time, so the local reading is 20:15 (Europe/Amsterdam) throughout the year, adjusting seasonally between CET and CEST as applicable.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 