WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.17.10: what's new?
WhatsApp has released a new Android update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.26.17.10.
What's new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that shows when status updates are reshared many times, and it's available to some beta testers!
| Key Points | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of the feature: | Status updates reshared many times |
| Status: | Rolling out |
| Compatibility: | WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.17.10 has been designated as a compatible update, but some users may get the same feature by installing certain previous updates. |
| Availability info: | This feature is available to some beta testers, and it is rolling out to more users over the coming days. |
| Thanks: | shw_9876, for testing and reporting. |
| Previous news: | WhatsApp to test Liquid Glass design for the chat interface! |
WhatsApp improves clarity around status updates from unknown contacts
In the post about the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.14.9 update, we announced a feature that clarifies why users may see updates from unknown phone numbers. Specifically, WhatsApp is testing a feature that allows status updates to be visible even when shared by contacts not saved in the address book. These status updates now include an explanatory sheet that improves transparency, as they help users better understand why they see a specific update. In particular, the app may highlight that these updates come from recent interactions, including messages and calls.
WhatsApp enhances transparency for frequently reshared status updates
WhatsApp aims to make status updates even more transparent for users. This is especially important when users frequently share these updates from different contacts. As a result, WhatsApp is testing new features designed to make status sharing more transparent and easier to understand. Following the release of the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.26.17.10 update, which is available on the Google Play Store, we discovered that WhatsApp is rolling out a feature that shows when status updates are frequently reshared.
Users can reshare status updates on WhatsApp
As you can see from the attached screenshot, some beta testers may be able to access a feature that shows whether users reshare the same status update frequently. Users can reshare other people's status updates to their Status. This is possible if they allow resharing or when the user is mentioned in their update. When a status update is reshared, the "Reshared" label appears at the top of the screen. This helps viewers understand that the status update originally comes from another contact. However, WhatsApp does not track or store the identity of the original source of the update, so it cannot reveal this information.
How misinformation can spread through status updates on WhatsApp
Users may share fake news or misleading content in their status updates. Since multiple users can quickly repost the same content, false or misleading information may circulate widely before anyone verifies it. This is even more problematic when users trust content simply because it appears in their contacts' updates. In some cases, the original source of a claim is unclear, which makes it harder to assess its credibility. As a result, fake news can gain visibility and reach a large audience in a short time.
New label highlights status updates reshared many times
In the latest updates, WhatsApp aims to address this issue by introducing a new transparency label. If users reshare the same status update multiple times, WhatsApp will show the "Reshared many times" label at the top of the status interface. This label helps users understand that the status update has been widely reshared and may have reached them through multiple reposts rather than a single original source. Note that the label appears once the content has been forwarded at least five times. This means that WhatsApp considers the status update reshared many times when it reaches this threshold.
How WhatsApp handles privacy for reshared status updates
WhatsApp protects status updates with end-to-end encryption, so only the sender and the intended recipients can see their content. With this in mind, it is important to note that the new feature does not affect this encryption in any way. Internally, WhatsApp handles status updates similarly to standard messages. Within this structure, WhatsApp keeps a simple counter that tracks how many times a status update has been reshared. This allows WhatsApp to display the resharing label without accessing the actual content of the message. Like frequently forwarded messages, WhatsApp does not store a detailed history of who reshared the status update in any step of the chain. Instead, the app only maintains a simple flag that indicates the total number of reshares.
WhatsApp is rolling out the new transparency label
The feature that shows when users reshare status updates many times is available to some beta testers who install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android updates from the Google Play Store. This feature is currently available to some beta testers. However, it is also possible that this feature is available to a certain number of users on stable versions to evaluate performance at a larger scale.
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