WhatsApp is rolling out a new Group Settings feature, which gives group admins control authority to restrict other members from editing group info, according to WABetainfo.
The feature is currently available for Android beta users and iOS and Windows Phone will receive the update in the coming weeks, the report says.
WABetainfo, a website that tests Whatsapp features before they are officially released, says that the Restricted Group feature has been rolled out to Whatsapp for Android beta version 2.18.132.
If you are administer of a Whatsapp group, you can access the feature by navigating to Group info > Group settings > Edit group info.
Here, you can choose who can modify the group’s subject, icon, and description from Only admins or All participants.
Following the update, the restricted members will only be able to read the messages posted by group admins and not respond to them
“All participants can normally edit the group description, icon and subject, but finally the administrator can restrict this feature today, preventing no-administrators to modify the group description,” the website said.
“This action can be managed in the Admin Settings, a new option located in Group Info that’s visible to the administrator only,” it added.
Following the update, the group members will need to use ‘Message Admin’ button from the admin to make their content visible in the group.
The restricted members will only be able to read the messages posted by group admins and not respond to them.
The Facebook-owned chat app is expected to add other functionalities to Restricted Group feature soon, including ability to block all group members from sending text messages, photos, GIFs, videos documents and voice messages or starting a live session.
It is pertinent that the Group Description feature was rolled out to Android and Windows Phones back in February and to iPhone in the following month.
However, the Whatsapp group admins using Windows Phone and iPhone currently have no option to restrict any member from changing the group info.
