<ul><li>WhatsApp is planning to bring Avatars similar to Facebook and Instagram.</li><li>Some of the features are already being tested by beta users.</li><li>Here's a breakdown of the top upcoming WhatsApp features in 2022.</li></ul>To improve user experience, the Meta-owned instant messaging app WhatsApp keeps adding new features and tools. Recently, WhatsApp has increased the file sharing limit to 2GB and launched a new feature, <a href="https://blog.whatsapp.com/sharing-our-vision-for-communities-on-whatsapp">Communities</a>. The instant messaging platform tests beta users’ features before making them available to all users. If you’re a regular WhatsApp user, keeping tabs on the latest updates and upcoming features is worth keeping tabs on. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="92492496" title="WhatsApp: How to see people’s status without letting them know" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>This article looks at expected WhatsApp features to launch by the end of 2022. Our list also includes several under-development features that have been spotted by the community or so. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="View status updates on Windows" comment="subhead" text="View status updates on Windows">View status updates on Windows</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="status update" msid="93701513" hostid="261" sizebytes="17830"></div> WhatsApp keeps working on Windows native app by introducing already available features on the WhatsApp Desktop app. Recently, Meta has dropped a new update for WhatsApp for Windows that allows beta users to view status updates. The updates come with a button which is available within the chat list that redirects the users to the list of all status updates. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="View status updates within the chat list" comment="subhead" text="View status updates within the chat list">View status updates within the chat list</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="WhatsApp chat update" msid="93701538" hostid="261" sizebytes="7842"></div> When a contact uploads a new status update, it will also be visible within the chat list; you have to just tap on their profile picture to view the status update. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Undo delete message" comment="subhead" text="Undo delete message">Undo delete message</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="undo delete message" msid="93701549" hostid="261" sizebytes="23172"></div> As you can see in the screenshot above, the message pop-ups when you attempt to delete a message. According to the <a href="https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-beta-for-android-2-22-18-13-whats-new/%5C">wabetainfo</a> user will have a few seconds to recover the message if they wanted to delete it for everyone. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Avatars" comment="subhead" text="Avatars">Avatars</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="avatar on whatsapp" msid="93103597" hostid="261"></div>Since the launch of Avatars over Facebook and Instagram, we may soon see Avatar on WhatsApp. According to <a href="https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-beta-for-android-2-22-16-11-whats-new/">wabetainfo</a>, an instant messaging app is planning to introduce avatars. By using them, you may be able to use an avatar as a mask while making the video call and as a sticker. According to the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.22.16.11 update, you can customize your avatar, similar to Facebook. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Unread chat filter" comment="subhead" text="Unread chat filter">Unread chat filter</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="unread chat filter" msid="93103608" hostid="261"></div>WhatsApp has already rolled out the ability to filter unread chats on WhatsApp Desktop beta, and now the company is planning to release the same for <keyword id="14546742" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="whtasaap" source="Orion">Whtasaap</keyword> beta for Android. With this new update, users can filter their chats by showing the ones that only contain new messages. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Quick reactions" comment="subhead" text="Quick reactions">Quick reactions</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="quick reaction" msid="93103616" hostid="261"></div>Soon WhatsApp users will be able to use eight emojis to react to status updates (Face with Tears of Joy, Smiling Face with Heart-Eyes, Face with Open Mouth, Party Popper, Clapping Hands, Crying Face, Folded Hands and Hundred Points). Currently, the feature is under development, but we don’t know when WhatsApp plans to release this feature. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Larger group size" comment="subhead" text="Larger group size">Larger group size</cmsannotation> Currently, WhatsApp allows 256 people in a group, but the company has a plan to increase the group limit to 512 people. This is a relief for admins and users who wanted to add more people to the group discussion also, with this new update, WhatsApp will come one step closer to Telegram. In Telegram, the admin can add 100,000 people using ‘Supergroups.’ <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="More participants in voice calls" comment="subhead" text="More participants in voice calls">More participants in voice calls</cmsannotation> WhatsApp has announced that the company will increase the group call limit to 32 people. Currently, the company is only allowing eight people in a group call. Again this update will bring WhatsApp close to other chat apps like Telegram, which has no limit on the number of people in a group voice chat. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Ability for admins to delete unwanted messages in group" comment="subhead" text="Ability for admins to delete unwanted messages in group">Ability for admins to delete unwanted messages in group</cmsannotation> With this feature, the group admin can delete problematic messages from the group chat. Once the admin deletes the message, it won’t be available to any group member. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Companion Mode - multi-device sync" comment="subhead" text="Companion Mode - multi-device sync">Companion Mode - multi-device sync</cmsannotation> <div type="image" title="companion mode" msid="93103633" hostid="261"></div> The<a href="https://wabetainfo.com/whatsapp-is-working-on-a-companion-mode-for-multi-device/"> WhatsApp Companion Mode</a> will allow users to link a secondary mobile device to their existing WhatsApp account, including tablets. Currently, users can only link the existing WhatsApp account to a desktop using Web WhatsApp. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Increased time limit for deleting sent messages" comment="subhead" text="Increased time limit for deleting sent messages">Increased time limit for deleting sent messages</cmsannotation> WhatsApp is planning to increase the time limit for deleting the sent messages. Currently, users can delete the sent messages within the time limit of 1 hour, 8 minutes, and 16 seconds. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/elon-musk-reportedly-had-an-affair-with-the-wife-of-google-co-founder-and-longtime-friend-sergey-brin-prompting-his-divorce-earlier-this-year/articleshow/93095189.cms">Elon Musk reportedly had an affair with the wife of Google co-founder and longtime friend Sergey Brin, prompting his divorce earlier this year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/consumer-it-spending-to-slide-further-amid-recession-fears-in-asia-pacific/articleshow/93100267.cms">Consumer IT spending to slide further amid recession fears in Asia-Pacific</a>

From avatars to hiding online status—list of top new upcoming WhatsApp features

Meta-owned encrypted messaging service <keyword id="790242" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp" source="Orion">WhatsApp</keyword> has started rolling out the much-awaited <keyword id="9007957" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="multi-device-support" source="Orion">multi-device support</keyword> for all users. Till now, the feature has been available to users under WhatsApp's opt-in beta testing programme. Now, according to <keyword id="3961385" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wabetainfo" source="Orion">WABetainfo</keyword>, the update will roll out to iOS users this month, followed by an <keyword id="6355645" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="android" source="Orion">Android</keyword> release next month. With the new update, your primary device will not have to remain online in order to access the platform. Viewing live location is not possible on paired devices. Creating and viewing broadcast lists or sending messages with link previews from WhatsApp Web cannot be performed on the secondary devices. WhatsApp has also started rolling out emoji reactions in beta on Android. The emoji reactions have started appearing in beta version 2.22.8.3 of the service's Android app, giving users a quick and easy way to respond to incoming messages. With a long-press of a received message, the feature lets users react with one of six emoji -- thumbs up, heart, crying, laughter, shocked face, or folded hands (usually taken to mean "thank you"). SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/omicron-subvariant-infections-on-rise-in-us-accounts-for-over-34-of-the-new-covid-19-infections/articleshow/90410070.cms">Omicron subvariant infections on rise in US, accounts for over 34% of the new COVID-19 infections</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/cypher-capital-launches-100-million-blockchain-fund-with-an-aim-to-invest-40-of-it-in-crypto-startups-in-india/articleshow/90400157.cms">Cypher Capital launches $100 million blockchain fund, with an aim to invest 40% of it in crypto startups in India</a>

WhatsApp multi-device support starts rolling out to all users

<ul><li>After <keyword id="790242" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WhatsApp">WhatsApp</keyword> announced its policy updates, many users started looking for secure alternatives like Signal and Telegram. </li><li>According to Sensor Tower, Signal saw 2.3 million installs in India -- more than 30% of its total new installs.</li><li>In an exclusive interview with Advertising and Media Insider, <keyword id="10601759" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="aruna-harder">Aruna Harder</keyword>, Chief Operating Officer of Signal Messenger talks to us about app’s vision, standing out in the market and handling slowdowns. </li></ul>The encrypted messaging app Signal saw a massive boost after rival WhatsApp updated its privacy policy and announced that the user will be expected to share some data including phone numbers and locations with parent company Facebook. Users are set to lose access in February if they don't agree to the changes. WhatsApp faced a lot of backlash from its users over privacy concerns and they have now flocked to alternative apps like Signal and Telegram. Signal was installed roughly 7.5 million times on the Apple App Store and the Google Play store from January 6 to 10, Sensor Tower, an app-analytics firm, told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/signals-downloads-skyrocketed-4200-after-whatsapp-announced-it-would-force-users-to-share-personal-data-with-facebook/articleshow/80232029.cms">Insider</a>. That represented a 4,200% increase from the previous week and WhatsApp’s downloads, on the other hand, fell by 39%. Signal saw 2.3 million installs in India -- more than 30% of its total new installs. The second-biggest market was the US, where users installed it about 1 million times. On the sudden spur in downloads, Aruna Harder, Chief Operating Officer, Signal Messenger said, “We are excited to see so many new people switching to Signal in record numbers. As on Monday, we saw that Signal was the number one downloaded iOS app in over 40 countries and the number one Android app in over 18 countries. Signal’s network is getting wider every day, and the rate of growth is only increasing.” To allay public fears, on January 12, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-says-your-privacy-wont-be-affected-if-you-dont-use-these-features/articleshow/80225748.cms">WhatsApp </a>issued a clarification that its users' privacy won't be affected if they don't use its two optional features. However, Signal’s Harder told us how she believes that privacy shouldn’t be an optional mode. “We are seeing people switch to Signal in record numbers because companies who sell ads have a harder time focusing on the things that users actually want. With end-to-end encryption, the content of every communication—a text message, a video chat, a voice call, an emoji reaction—is understandable only to the sender and the recipient. If an exchange is intercepted, by a hacker or a government agency, the interceptor sees a nonsensical snarl of letters and numbers. With Signal, there are no ads, no affiliate marketers, and no creepy tracking. Since Signal does not collect user metadata, it cannot read the messages that its users send. Signal does not keep any call logs or data backups,” said Harder, who joined Signal in 2018. However, Signal is just getting started as Harder expects more users will realise the value of privacy as we move forward in 2021. She said, “We anticipate high growth in the coming period as more and more people come to terms with their privacy concerns.” The independent non-profit organisation’s tagline is ‘Say hello to privacy,’ to directly communicate its unique position in the market. Donations help Signal to pay for its development, servers and bandwidth of an app used by many millions around the world. Striking while the iron was hot, Signal hit where it hurts a lot of platforms in the segment the most -- it offers data privacy and user protection -- crosshairs that WhatsApp is caught up in across the world time and again. On Signal, there are no ads, no affiliate marketers, and no creepy tracking, which Harder thinks is a strong reason for users to stay for the long run. Adding on how Signal wants to stand for privacy, Harder said, "Unlike other popular messaging apps, Signal does not have access to users’ contacts, social graph, group data, group membership, profile name, profile avatar, location data, gif searches, etc. Signal was founded to fulfill people’s basic expectations that they won’t be tracked by private companies or the government. It uses state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption to keep conversations secure and private. Signal can’t read user messages or listen to calls, and no one else can either. Choosing Signal is choosing privacy. We want you to own your own data. With end-to-end encryption, the content of every communication—a text message, a video chat, a voice call, an emoji reaction—is understandable only to the sender and the recipient. If an exchange is intercepted, by a hacker or a government agency, the interceptor sees a nonsensical snarl of letters and numbers.” The silicon-valley based app is also launching new features in India, which is currently its largest market. It will be rolling out chat wallpapers, animated stickers, media auto-download settings and full-screen profile photos. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Managing the sudden surge of users" text="Managing the sudden surge of users">Managing the sudden surge of users</cmsannotation> Signal was launched in 2013 by Moxie Marlinspike and Brian Acton, who also co-founded WhatsApp before selling it to Facebook. However, users started downloading Signal in massive numbers as WhatsApp updated its privacy policy and after Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is also the world’s richest man, asked his followers to join the messaging service. Soon, the number of downloads skyrocketed and its registration system crashed. Some new users reported slowdowns and other issues with the app. “We have been scaling Signal to handle the incredible growth, and are working hard to ship the things people are asking for,” said Harder. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Vision for the app" text="Vision for the app">Vision for the app</cmsannotation> There are a few other platforms in the market that are doing well as a direct result of the WhatsApp policy update. However, Harder’s vision is to be a secure and self-sustaining alternative to other messaging platforms. “Our vision is to provide users with a simple yet powerful and secure messaging alternative. Like I mentioned, privacy isn’t an optional mode — it’s just the way Signal works. Signal has always been a collaborative project with a strong community, and it will continue to learn from its community and experiment together. The core values of Signal are to protect and extend free expression and to create a safe and secure digital environment for everyone. Ultimately, our goal is to make the Signal Foundation financially self-sustaining. The founders believe there is an opportunity to act in the public interest and make a meaningful contribution to society. We aim to do this by building sustainable technology that respects its users and does not rely on the commoditization of personal data,” Harder said, signing off.

Interview: Signal’s COO Aruna Harder says that privacy shouldn’t be an optional mode for users

New Delhi, Elated at Indians, including top entrepreneurs and celebrities, rushing to join his encrypted <keyword id="10587170" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="messaging-app-signal">messaging app Signal</keyword>, Brian Acton, who co-founded WhatsApp with Jan Koum before selling it to Facebook CEO <keyword id="6354630" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="mark-zuckerberg">Mark Zuckerberg</keyword> for $19 billion, aims to add 100-200 million users in India over the next two years. In a candid interview with IANS, Executive Chairman of <keyword id="10587169" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="signal-foundation-brian-acton">Signal Foundation Brian Acton</keyword> who left WhatsApp in 2017 over a dispute with Facebook regarding monetisation of WhatsApp -- which has taken centerstage with the Facebook-owned app now asking users to either abide by its new Terms of service and <keyword id="381506" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Privacy-policy">privacy policy</keyword> or lose the account by February 8 -- said that he is encouraged to see the massive outpouring of support from all corners of India. "The tweets from thousands of new <keyword id="6380504" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="signal">Signal</keyword> users, with big voices like Anand Mahindra among them, is just really amazing. India is a country that has always been ahead of the curve by adopting the best technology, and it's exciting to see it happening again," Acton told. "We are all committed to living up to the high standards that people in India have come to expect. We project adding 100-200 million users in India over the next two years and look forward to supporting that growth". Acton left WhatsApp in September 2017 to start the Signal Foundation, dedicated to helping people who have access to <keyword id="10587171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="private-communication">private communication</keyword> through an encrypted messaging app. According to Acton, Signal wants people to own their own data. "It was founded to fulfill people's basic expectations that they won't be tracked by private companies or the government. It uses state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption to keep conversations secure and private. Signal can't read user messages or listen to calls, and no one else can either," he emphasised. Signal is gaining immense popularity in India owing to its simplicity and focus on privacy. "We recently read that Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Phone Pe co-founder Sameer Nigam and CRED founder Kunal Shah have also begun using Signal. The signs are deeply encouraging," Acton told. People are switching to Signal in record numbers because companies who sell ads have a harder time focusing on the things that users actually want. "Besides, people are realising that the privacy they enjoy in their offline life doesn't exist online, and they are looking for that. Signal's network is getting wider every day, and the rate of growth is only increasing," noted Acton. According to Acton, when it comes to India, "We knew that it was going to be a very big place for Signal as we had seen massive adoption over the summer." "We didn't realise how quickly India was going to make the switch to try a new more privacy oriented messenger." Acton further added: "As we think about India's unique position globally, we see Signal as a communication solution for everyday friends and family connecting with each other as well as for professional settings where people want that peace of mind knowing their business details are kept private." Today, from Edward Snowden to the Black Lives Matter Foundation to <keyword id="3219462" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Melania-Trump">Melania Trump</keyword>, all use Signal. Activists use Signal to coordinate protests, finance professionals to exchange sensitive information, journalists to communicate with sources, etc. "As more and more of our lives happen online, data protection and privacy are critical. This isn't just important for select people in select countries. It's important for people from all walks of life and in every part of the world. Everyone deserves to be protected. Everyone is entitled to freedom of expression in the digital world," Acton emphasised. With end-to-end encryption, the content of every communication -- a text message, a video chat, a voice call, an emoji reaction -- is understandable only to the sender and the recipient. If an exchange is intercepted, by a hacker or a government agency, the interceptor sees a nonsensical snarl of letters and numbers. "With Signal, there are no ads, no affiliate marketers, and no creepy tracking. Since Signal does not collect user metadata, it cannot read the messages that its users send. Signal keeps no call logs or data backups," Acton said. Signal also offers some unusual features, such as messages that disappear after a set period of time. For now, Signal's engineers are working on improvements, such as developing a group video-chat feature and making the app's group chat systems more robust. Signal is an independent, nonprofit organisation. "It's not tied to any major tech companies, and it can never be acquired by one either. Development is supported by grants and donations (much like Wikipedia)," Acton informed. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/how-to/how-to-backup-and-restore-messages-in-signal-app/articleshow/80226649.cms">How to backup and restore messages in Signal app</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-says-your-privacy-wont-be-affected-if-you-dont-use-these-features/articleshow/80225748.cms">WhatsApp says your privacy won't be affected if you don't use these two optional features</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/supreme-court-puts-indias-three-farm-laws-on-hold-forms-a-five-member-panel-to-resolve-the-deadlock/articleshow/80229881.cms">India's top court puts three new farm laws on hold — forms a five-member panel to resolve the deadlock</a>

WhatsApp co-founder and Signal investor Brian Acton targets 100-200 million Signal users in India

Never start a group chat at 3:47 in the morning. Never invite both your ex-lover and your dad to the same group chat. Never name a group chat "small group chat" when it actually includes your ex-lover (who's also the CEO of one of your companies), your dad, your general counsel, and nine of your top executives, and when the purpose of the chat is to scramble to save face and funds as your cryptocurrency exchange collapses amid the news that you may have stolen up to $10 billion from your customers.These are just three of many deadly sins of the group chat that Sam Bankman-Fried committed in the wee hours of November 7, 2022. A year later, the panicked texts shared in that "small group chat" — along with other chats with cutesy names like "Donation Processing" and "People of the House" (the presumably absolutely insufferable people living in Bankman-Fried's $35 million penthouse) — comprised some of the most damning evidence against him and helped lead to a swift guilty verdict on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jury-sam-bankman-fried-guilty-seven-counts-fraud-manhattan-trial-2023-10">seven counts of fraud</a>.Though he may be the first person to serve up to 110 years in prison for doing so, Bankman-Fried is far from the first person to perpetrate a group-chat faux pas. You, your friends, and your mom probably perpetrated several this morning. Worry not. Like any good group chat, this is a safe space, and I'm here to help you navigate these tricky currents. ❤️❤️❤️The group chat hasn't just <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/social-media-dead-instagram-tiktok-bereal-replaced-group-chats-messaging-2023-8">bludgeoned social media</a> into submission, siphoning off users and engagement from a barren Facebook, a boring Instagram, and the bilious and broken Twitter (I'm not calling it X). The group chat has become the fulcrum of civilization and its discontents. From planning Thanksgiving dinner to the run on Silicon Valley Bank to national-security leaks, from secret threads with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a45459012/democratic-women-governors-friendship/">Democratic women governors</a> to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wired.com/story/telegram-hamas-israel-conflict/#intcid=_wired-verso-hp-trending_dfdf5d83-b27f-45e7-8815-a459b552d980_popular4-1">Hamas militants</a> to the tromboners of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2023/10/30/teen-group-texts-rules/">middle-school</a> marching band, the group chat is now the room where it happens, for better and worse. People are struggling with the endlessly pinging ubiquity of the group chat. A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.securedatarecovery.com/blog/group-messaging-feels-like-job#Americans%E2%80%99_group_messaging_habits">recent poll</a> of 1,005 US adults found the average American spends 26 minutes a day reading and responding to group chats. Some two-thirds said they feel overwhelmed by them, and 42% say keeping up with them feels like a part-time job. "Group Chat Culture Is Out of Control," an article in The Atlantic decried in September. "57 Messages in One Day. The Group Text Has Gone Off the Rails," read a Wall Street Journal headline in October. In early November, a man in Indonesia was reportedly suspected of stabbing and killing his friend after the friend removed him from a WhatsApp group chat about motorcycles.It doesn't have to be like this. As a public proselytizer of group chats and all the chaos and high-stakes, potentially friendship-, career-, company-, and government-ending texts that come with them, I can't stand to see the name of group chats smeared and watch people make egregious chat gaffes any longer. A century ago, Emily Post tried to set order to the frenetic melting pot of a young American nation with her book "Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics, and at Home." Well, society, business, politics, and home life have all entered the group chat. For us to survive and thrive as humans, it's time to agree on the Definitive Etiquette of the Group Chat. Set your phones to Do Not Disturb for the next few minutes. In advance, you're welcome.If 57 unread messages is, as The Wall Street Journal put it, "off the rails," then I must be somewhere in the ravine, flipped over, and taking on water as I burst into flames. Fifty-seven messages (sincerest apologies, Ms. Post) can constitute one rigorous morning toilet session. Sometimes I come home to 57 unread messages after my 20-minute round-trip drive to drop my daughter off at day care. In October alone, I woke up to unread counts from a single chat numbering in the hundreds on multiple occasions (a chat with several of my friends who don't have kids). Beyond that chat, some of my most active group chats include one with my high-school friends, another with college friends, and another with friends from the college I dropped out of. There's one with close friends living in the Netherlands who have kids the same age as mine, and another with close friends in Rome who have kids the same age as mine. One with my dad and sister and our spouses, and one with just my dad and sister. One with my old bandmates to trade jokes and reminisce about tours and records and shows of yore, and one with my current bandmates to trade jokes and discuss rehearsals and upcoming shows. There's one to piss and moan about the Mets (though, like the Amazins, that one is only active between April and July), and one to piss and moan about the New York Giants, which is laden with more profanity and sadness than I am comfortable to admit publicly. There's one each for a pair of fantasy football leagues I play in, despite the fact I have almost no interest in fantasy football; I'm mostly in the leagues for the group chats that come with them. There are others, of course. In fact, when I think about it, my wife and two others are the only people I regularly text one-on-one anymore.The ultimate appeal of group chats — their necessity, really — is that they've become the only social media that's actually social. It wasn't always this way. Social media was originally conceived, publicly, at least, to foster connection. Mark Zuckerberg once promised that Facebook would "give people the power to share and make the world more open and connected." Twitter vowed to "serve the public conversation." But connection has long since given way to the attention economy on most platforms, between thinking in terms of tweets, seeing the world for its 'gramability, and slipping into the infinite scroll of TikTok. Group chats are now the rare place to gather that isn't gamified or monetized, where sharing the perfect meme to dunk on your friend's horrifying first date won't be drowned out by ads for Adidas and antidepressants and an unhinged rant from some blue-check neo-Nazi.In other words, while the rest of social media doubles down in what The New Yorker writer Hua Hsu calls the "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/03/20/what-conversation-can-do-for-us">age of the amygdala</a>," group chats give us the space to engage all the other parts of our brain, a chance to listen and be heard and engage in actual conversation and community-building.Over time, the micro-communities of group chats develop their own shorthand. There are jokes that reference this thing or that from years and tens of thousands of texts ago, some note that has become part of the thread's shared vernacular. Sometimes, the jokes can stretch a touch too far, seeping into the real world, as was the case when one of my group chats incorporated as an LLC earlier this year. Why? Because it was hilarious. At least it was to us. The chats also codify their own social strata. There's the person who shares the best memes; the person who always takes the joke one text too far; the boomer who types in all caps, uses proper punctuation, and signs their name to the text. Me? I'm the guy who feels like he has to like every meme shared in our threads. Group chats can become overwhelming, of course, especially as they creep into other apps and especially as they often duplicate participants. But when you think of them as a conduit by which we stay connected to our favorite people, to laugh as though we were all crowded into a booth at the local bar together, or even to learn and develop relationships with people we don't know that well, it's hard to hate on the group chat.(Not to mention the fact that you can, you know, just leave group chats, as my father often does from our family thread.)It's time for us all to embrace the ping. And if you can't, learn how to mute your phone, you Luddite. But like America's interstate system or the number of times you can wear jeans before washing them, there have to be rules. What was once the Wild West of interpersonal communication is now becoming the Tucson your parents are thinking of retiring to. And even Tucson has rules.The following rules have been crowdsourced from my own group chats. They work for any group. Follow them religiously if you don't want to become the next Sam Bankman-Fried. Also, try and avoid creating a multibillion-dollar fake-money fraud scheme. The rules apply to consenting adults only. For example, a recent Washington Post story on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/parenting/2023/10/30/teen-group-texts-rules/">unwritten rules of teen group chats</a> warns, "Don't say anything you wouldn't want screenshotted." This is sage advice for the social barbarism of high school. This is terrible advice for adults, and, if followed, would maybe keep you out of trouble but would definitively neuter the fun and intimacy of the group chat.<h2>The official rules of the group chat</h2>1. The perfect group chat size is six people. Don't let it exceed 12.A group chat is like a table at a restaurant. Six makes for freewheeling conversation over candlelight where everyone can feel like they have an equal stake. It also gives everyone a chance to step back if they're not feeling it that day. Beyond eight, chatter becomes more and more rowdy, performative, and splintered. Also, a group chat's vitality is inversely proportional to the number of lurkers in the chat, and more people always means more lurkers. 2. Mute group chats with more than 12 people. For both your psyche and for the greater good. The texts aren't going anywhere.3. Don't talk about the group chat outside the group chat.Just as you should never comment on someone's Instagram post IRL, this rule doesn't apply if you're in the presence of the person whose exclusion from the chat is the very meta reason for the chat's existence in the first place. In which case, you should only talk about the chat in front of them. And be sure to mention, "Oh, it's from our group chat. You wouldn't get it."4. Your level of activity in a group is inversely proportional to your susceptibility to a side chat that doesn't include you. But the same is true if you're too active.In other words, if you only lurk and never chime in or if you dominate the conversation at all hours, you only have yourself to blame if you're not part of a breakout chat. Grow up, Peter Pan.5. Additions to the group chat must be approved unanimously.And you must ask someone before adding them to an existing group chat.6. Remember the Sabbath, and keep it holy.The lines between work and life are blurred enough on Slack, email, and every other app. Spare the group chat work talk on the weekends.7. Never tweet. Share it in the group chat.You'll get more engagement, you'll keep the blast zone of your embarrassment contained, and you'll keep your job.8. Always make fun of the person with the green bubble. Android users, you signed up for this.9. The group should get along IRL.More or less. We all know how old friends can be.10. Speaking of, two friends in an argument with each other in a chat have a maximum of four insults each to lob at one another. After that, you're ruining the vibe. Take it to one-on-one.11. Limit yourself to sharing no more than four memes, reels, or gifs consecutively. Anything more and you can't expect anyone to watch them all, and you sound like a bot. 12. Maslow's hierarchy of needs applies to reactions in the group chat.In the pyramid of satisfying reactions, a response that acknowledges and empathizes with the text and expands on the conversation with a follow-up question or related anecdote is self-actualized, which is better than a joke reaction (esteem need) is better than an emoji reaction (love and belonging need) is better than reading it and not reacting at all (safety and security need) is better than an iMessage reaction (physiological need).13. Never respond with "ha."It's one of the most passive-aggressive texts a person can send. If you're thinking of texting "ha," add at least one "ha" to it, even if your heart's not in it, and take a walk. Conversely, anything beyond four "ha's" makes it sound like you're laughing at them ironically.14. Even if every single member of the group is in one place, such as a wedding, you are still expected to communicate primarily via the group chat.Why? Because this is how we communicate now.15. Have at least one group chat that serves as an extension of your consciousness, a safe space for your and your friend's superego, ego, and especially your id.As The New York Times reporter Astead Herndon once tweeted, "the key to every group chat is <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AsteadWH/status/1362746415068413959">mutually assured destruction</a>."16. Respond to what you want to, when you want to. But there's a 48-hour grace period to respond.Unless you're the rare person in the chat who never responds but kills when you do. In that case, you may fire when ready. 17. Never, ever, ever join a crypto group chat.Michael Venutolo-Mantovani has written for The New York Times, National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, Wired, and many others. He lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, with his wife and their two children.

Group chats can ruin your life

<ul><li><keyword id="14330229" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Googles-Switch" source="Orion">Google’s Switch</keyword> helps in transferring data seamlessly.</li><li>Contacts, photos, calendar entries and more are transferred via Google’s Switch.</li><li>Google’s Switch is available for free on <keyword id="6354427" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="apple" source="Orion">Apple</keyword> Store.</li></ul>In a bid to make it easier for new <keyword id="6355645" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="android" source="Orion">Android</keyword> users to transfer their data from an old iPhone, tech giant Google's Switch to Android iPhone app now reportedly works with all the <keyword id="11281337" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Android-12-smartphones" source="Orion">Android 12 smartphones</keyword>. The free iOS app, which is designed to make it easy to switch to Android, helps in transferring important data like your iPhone contacts and calendar entries. "Once you have got your new Android phone, follow our easy setup instructions to go through the data transfer process. You will be prompted to connect your old iPhone with your new Android phone either with your iPhone cable or wirelessly via the new Switch to Android app," the company said in a blogpost. The company mentioned that once the user is all set, they can get started on their new Android device by checking out the company's features. With the Messages app and Gboard, it is easy and enjoyable to send messages, especially between friends who use Android. Group chats, high-quality photo and video sharing, read receipts and emoji reactions are all available thanks to RCS, and thousands of emoji mashup stickers are there to help you express your feelings. If your friends and family have Google accounts, it is easier than ever to video chat with Google Meet on Android. Or if you prefer FaceTime, you can still use that in the latest version of Chrome. Or with apps like WhatsApp in Google Play, you can chat with whomever you like for free around the globe. Users can choose from a wide variety of Chromebooks, Wear OS smartwatches, Google TV devices and Fast Pair supported headphones, like Pixel Buds, that work better together with your phone. In fact, some Apple products will still work with their Android device, like AirPods.The Switch to Android app initiates a transfer process by displaying a QR code on the iPhone, which you then scan to start transferring photos, videos, contacts, and calendar events. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/tips-to-spot-fake-messages-and-news-on-whatsapp/articleshow/92568584.cms">Tips to spot fake messages and news on WhatsApp</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/spotify-launches-radar-podcasters-programme-for-emerging-podcasters-in-india/articleshow/92568221.cms">Spotify launches ‘RADAR Podcasters’ programme for emerging podcasters in India</a>

Google’s Switch to Android app now supports all Android 12 phones

<ul><li>Meta introduces tools and features on the <keyword id="6354576" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="facebook" source="Orion">Facebook</keyword> application and Messenger. </li><li>These features offer a safer and more user-friendly experience. </li><li>Read further to know more about the features.</li></ul>Meta frequently updates its applications with new features and updates to enhance usability, privacy and security. In comparison to the early Facebook days the platform is nowhere close to how it used to be and that has made it very complex and there are so many additions that most of us have lost track. Despite that, Facebook is the second-most used global <a href="https://blog.hootsuite.com/facebook-statistics/#:~:text=6.%20Facebook%20is%202nd%2Dmost,app%2C%20after%20Instagram%20and%20TikTok">application </a>based on total usage time. Recently, Meta introduced several features, updated privacy settings, and added tools to the Facebook application and messenger. These updates are designed to cater to parents, to offer a secure messaging experience with end-to-end encryption, and make Facebook a safe place for teens to explore. Meta, in its blog <a href="https://about.fb.com/news/">posts, </a>announced features for the Facebook application and messenger that you must know. End-to-end encryption for chats This feature exists in the messenger application, but Meta announced that it is testing end-to-end encryption as default to ensure more private conversations. Users will be notified when default end-to-end encryption is enabled in their chats. Chat features Mark Zuckerberg announced features like chat themes, custom chat emojis and reactions, group profile photos, link previews, active status and bubbles on Android. These features offer a newway to interact with your friends and let you personalize your chats and responses. Account Center This feature allows users to centralize their application settings. Users can access this feature in the settings menu of Facebook, Instagram, and Meta accounts. This feature will help people adjust and manage settings easily. Meta introduced their third iteration of the privacy progress update that talks about the technical and operational improvements. Building educational tools Meta introduced a privacy center which is available on Facebook. Recently, two new modules were added to the privacy center to enhance the privacy of teens and safety for people. These features allow users to learn about the special protections offered to young people and how people can protect themselves and their information. Privacy Checkup Facebook users will get notified to get a privacy checkup that allows them to review their essential privacy settings. Teen privacy In November, Facebook introduced several features to offer an extra layer to protect teens online. Users under 16 years of age(18 years in some countries) will have defaulted private settings. From February, advertisers will no longer be able to target teens based on their interests and activities. Facebook will use age and location as the key factors that will be used for teens to show them ads. Also, a new privacy page with tools and information for teens’ privacy has been added. Age-appropriate ad experience for teens From March, teens will be given a more controlled way to manage which type of ads they want to see and which to hide. Teens can edit their ad preferences from the settings. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/how-to-use-drag-and-drop-photos-and-search-by-date-on-whatsapp/articleshow/97168020.cms">WhatsApp rolls out drag and drop and search by date feature to its iOS app — Here's how to use it</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/how-to-use-quiet-mode-on-instagram/articleshow/97175190.cms">Instagram's new quiet mode is here to help you take a break from the buzz – here's how to use it</a>

From privacy settings to educational tools, here are some new Facebook features you should know

<ul><li><keyword id="6355629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google" source="Orion">Google</keyword> has started rolling out an update for the Chrome browser to fix these issues. </li><li>This discovery comes less than a month after a severe zero-day vulnerability was patched by Google. </li><li>If you use the <keyword id="182214" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="google-chrome" source="Orion">Google Chrome</keyword> browser on your computer or laptop, you should update it to the latest version now. </li></ul>Google is urging Chrome users to update the browser on their computers and laptops right away. The update alert comes after seven high-severity vulnerabilities were discovered in Google Chrome. These seven vulnerabilities are not restricted to just the Windows version of the Chrome browser – it affects Linux as well as macOS users. Google has highlighted the vulnerabilities in its <a href="https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2021/08/stable-channel-update-for-desktop.html">blog post</a> but has provided little information as to how they can be exploited by cybercriminals. “Access to bug details and links may be kept restricted until a majority of users are updated with a fix. We will also retain restrictions if the bug exists in a third-party library that other projects similarly depend on, but haven’t yet fixed,” the company stated in its post. The security concerns have prompted the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security (CISA), a US federal agency, to issue a <a href="https://us-cert.cisa.gov/ncas/current-activity/2021/08/18/google-releases-security-updates-chrome">notification</a> urging users to update the Chrome browser. Of the seven vulnerabilities discovered and disclosed, two were discovered by Manfred Paul, who <a href="https://www.securityweek.com/google-awards-42000-two-serious-chrome-vulnerabilities">received</a> a bounty of $21,000 for each discovery. This comes less than a month after a zero-day vulnerability was <a href="https://www.welivesecurity.com/2021/07/16/google-patches-chrome-zero-day-vulnerability-exploited-in-the-wild/">patched</a> by Google. This security issue allowed remote attackers to completely compromise the vulnerable system. Zero-day refers to vulnerabilities that have been only recently discovered. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="How to update Google Chrome" comment="subhead" text="How to update Google Chrome">How to <keyword id="9201009" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="update-google-chrome" source="Orion">update Google Chrome</keyword></cmsannotation> You can update to the latest version of Google Chrome by following these steps: <ul><li>Open the Google Chrome browser on your computer or laptop. </li><li>Click on the three-dot button in the toolbar. </li><li>Now, click on Help -&gt; About Google Chrome. </li></ul>If you don’t have the latest version of the browser installed, Chrome will start downloading the update and prompt you to restart the browser at the end. If you already have the latest version, which is 92.0.4515.159 installed, you don’t have to do anything and you are protected from the vulnerabilities. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-bans-eight-dangerous-crypto-apps-find-out-if-you-have-them-on-your-phone/articleshow/85553621.cms">Google bans eight dangerous crypto apps – find out if you have them on your phone</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-starts-testing-message-reactions/articleshow/85614302.cms">WhatsApp is testing message reactions — you might soon be able to react to messages with heart, laugh, like and other emojis</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-adds-a-payment-shortcut-so-you-can-send-money-faster-than-ever-before/articleshow/85589253.cms">WhatsApp adds a payment shortcut so you can send money faster than ever before</a>

Google Chrome users warned about seven high-severity vulnerabilities – update the browser now

<ul><li>The Samsung smartphone burst into flames inside the cabin of an aeroplane.</li><li>There was enough smoke from the blast that led to an emergency evacuation.</li><li>No serious injuries were reported and the flight crew managed to control the fire.</li></ul>A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/pre-book-galaxy-z-fold3-at-rs-142999-galaxy-z-flip3-at-rs-77999/articleshow/85366703.cms">Samsung</a> smartphone reportedly burst into flames inside an aeroplane. This happened in the Alaska Airlines Flight 751 at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, according to a <a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/flight-to-seattle-evacuated-after-passengers-cellphone-catches-fire/">report</a> by Seattle Times. The smartphone in question was a Samsung Galaxy A21 and it caught fire inside the cabin of the aeroplane which led to an emergency evacuation, the report added. The smartphone was actually damaged to such a point that it wasn’t recognisable but the passenger confirmed it was a Galaxy A21. The flight crew did manage to control the fire with a battery containment but there was enough smoke from the fire that an emergency evacuation of all the passengers had to take place. Also, the incident took place just as the plane landed. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport shared updates on Twitter about the situation. It said that the passengers were transported by bus to the terminal and some of them suffered minor injuries which were mostly scrapes and bruises. There were no serious injuries reported, and airport operations weren’t affected either. <div type="twitter" handle="flySEA" handlename="Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1220059332852584448/c2TprMAi_normal.jpg" favoritecount="40" retweetcount="16" status="Earlier this evening, POSFD responded to a report of a fire in the cargo hold of Alaska Airlines Flight 751. Upon… https://t.co/te8w5i3Pt6" createdat="1629781362000" id="1430032798811758594"></div> The reason behind the phone’s explosion hasn’t been revealed but it looks like an isolated incident since there haven’t been any similar reports on the Galaxy A21. A more harrowing experience was reported earlier this year where a Galaxy J5 Prime smartphone exploded inside a man’s bag in China which caused him burn marks. A Samsung phone bursting into flames will surely grab more attention than any other brand because of its <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/from-a-cultural-meme-to-a-comeback-kid-how-samsung-overcame-its-galaxy-note-7-fiasco/articleshow/60970681.cms">Galaxy Note 7 fiasco</a>. This was a major global incident with overheating and explosions caused due to faulty batteries in the Galaxy Note 7. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-chrome-users-warned-about-seven-high-severity-vulnerabilities-update-the-browser-now/articleshow/85615459.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">Google Chrome users warned about seven high-severity vulnerabilities – update the browser now</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-starts-testing-message-reactions/articleshow/85614302.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">WhatsApp is testing message reactions — you might soon be able to react to messages with heart, laugh, like and other emojis</a>

Passengers on a plane in US evacuated after a Samsung phone reportedly caught fire

<ul><li><keyword id="944686" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renew-power" source="Orion">ReNew Power</keyword>, India’s largest <keyword id="1540064" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="renewable-energy-company" source="Orion">renewable energy company</keyword>, got listed on the Nasdaq in the US on Tuesday.</li><li>The company got listed through a special purpose acquisition company (<keyword id="1817616" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="spac" source="Orion">SPAC</keyword>) route and hit $4.5 billion in market capitalisation.</li><li>The renewable energy producer has merged with Nasdaq-listed RMG Acquisition Corp II for the listing.</li></ul>Indian renewable energy company ReNew Power made it to the US exchange Nasdaq on Tuesday through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) route by merging with Nasdaq-listed RMG Acquisition Corp II. ReNew Power is among the country’s leading solar and <keyword id="83273" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="wind-energy" source="Orion">wind energy</keyword> producers. “The listing opens much wider opportunities for us to help not only India, but the world to accelerate the clean energy transition for a fossil free tomorrow,” said Ajay Tripathi, chief human resource officer of the company on Twitter. The company reportedly said that it is fully-funded at this point in time to get to 18.5 gigawatts of fully-owned capacity by 2025. "We took the decision late last year and at that time SPAC seemed the best decision for us. It gives us access into a very deep and liquid pool of global investors -- both emerging markets as well as ESG investors -- which we think is very important for us to tap into and access for future and long-term growth in our sector," said Sumant Sinha, chairman and managing director of ReNew Power in a CNBC-TV18 <a href="https://www.cnbctv18.com/energy/renew-power-lists-on-nasdaq-via-spac-management-says-fully-funded-to-achieve-185-gw-capacity-by-2025-10481991.htm">interview</a>. Sinha said the company is primarily focused on the Indian market at this time. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/renew-power-lists-in-us-via-spac-mcap-hits-4-5bn/articleshow/85607683.cms">Reportedly</a>, around $700 million of gross proceeds from the listing will accrue to the company, which will be used to set up new power production facilities. ReNew’s current commissioned capacity as of March 31, 2021 represents about 1.4% of India’s total installed capacity and avoids 0.5% of India’s carbon emissions annually. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/zerodha-founder-shares-lessons-from-disappointing-listings-of-cartrade-aptus-chemplast-and-nuvoco-vistas-ipo/articleshow/85614310.cms">Cut the price or wait a bit ⁠— what the market is telling IPO aspirants</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/whatsapp-starts-testing-message-reactions/articleshow/85614302.cms">WhatsApp is testing message reactions — you might soon be able to react to messages with heart, laugh, like and other emojis</a>

India's largest renewable energy producer is now a $4.5 billion company listed on Nasdaq

She spent her inheritance sending money to TikTok Livestreamers. What started as a game turned into addiction.  

<ul><li><keyword id="6354616" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Twitter">Twitter</keyword> to end story sharing feature, <keyword id="3052699" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="fleets">Fleets</keyword>, on August 3.</li><li>Lack of traction and usage are the reasons for ending Fleet.</li><li>Users will see Spaces at the top of the timeline.</li></ul>The micro-blogging site, Twitter, is shutting down the feature of sharing stories called ‘Fleets’ within months of its rollout. Fleets were made available for public usage just eight months ago in November last year. The company says the lack of usage and traction to the site is the reason to say goodbye to the disappearing story-like feature. Fleets are stories shared in the form of media or formatted text that disappear in 24-hours like stories first introduced by Snapchat followed by Facebook and its platforms Instagram and WhatsApp. In a <a href="https://blog.twitter.com/en_us/topics/product/2021/goodbye-fleets">blog post</a>, Twitter shared that Fleets will no longer be available on Twitter from August 3 onwards. The company says that it will use the learnings from Fleets to create other ways for people to join conversations on Twitter. Twitter will continue to use the top of the timeline for sharing what’s happening at the moment and you will be able to see if someone you follow is hosting or speaking on the Clubhouse-like chatroom on Twitter called ‘Spaces’. As per the microblogging site, Fleets was built to address some anxieties that hold back its users from joining conversations, but instead, it is being used by people to promote their tweets. We may see updates on the site that incorporate features from Fleets that Twitter feels might improve the experience of its users. These features include a full-screen camera, text formatting options, and GIF stickers. Twitter recently started full-screen advertisements via Fleets but was unsuccessful in garnering expected revenues from it because of the low usage of the feature. However, the company is still unsure if the ads will continue to appear at other places on the platform. Twitter claims to be evolving as a platform and is trying new features to improve user engagement. “We’ll continue to build new ways to participate in conversations, listening to feedback and changing direction when there may be a better way to serve people using Twitter,” Ilya Brown, Head of Product, Brand &amp; Video Ads, said in the blog post. Twitter has been testing features like adding <a href="https://twitter.com/wongmjane/status/1398359547731841024">emoji reactions </a>to tweets, a subscription-based <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/twitter-has-a-new-3-a-month-subscription-service-called-twitter-blue-which-adds-an-undo-tweet-button/articleshow/83063398.cms">Twitter Blue</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/twitter-ramps-up-roll-out-of-spaces-to-take-on-clubhouse/articleshow/80764144.cms">Spaces</a>, which has seen a decent engagement since its roll-out. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-testing-new-trusted-friend-feature/articleshow/84058444.cms">Twitter is considering Instagram-like feature to let users limit tweets to trusted friends</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/twitter-may-soon-let-you-connect-your-google-account/articleshow/83865827.cms">Twitter may soon let you sign in with your Google account</a>

Twitter says goodbye to Fleets within months of its rollout

<ul class="summary-list"><li>You can invite people to <keyword id="10713331" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="disney-plus-groupwatch">Disney Plus GroupWatch</keyword> sessions via email, <keyword id="6354632" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-media">social media</keyword>, or text messages.</li><li>Anyone you invite to a <keyword id="7448675" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="disney-plus">Disney Plus</keyword> <keyword id="10023160" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="groupwatch">GroupWatch</keyword> will need to have their own Disney Plus account.</li><li>You can join a Disney Plus GroupWatch on your computer or mobile device by clicking a link.</li></ul>With social distancing measures likely in place for the foreseeable future, media companies have jumped on the opportunity to help you and your loved ones enjoy your favorite entertainment even when you can't be in the same place. DisneyPlus is no exception - their GroupWatch feature allows account holders to watch the same movie or TV show across multiple accounts at once, across devices. And GroupWatch will make sure every stream is synced to the exact same second, so no one is left behind.Here's how to invite friends and family to a Disney Plus GroupWatch. <h2>How to invite people to a Disney Plus GroupWatch</h2>1. Log into the DisneyPlus website or app with your username and password. 2. Select the film, show, or short you want to watch. You can select a show from Disney Plus' homepage, or search for one.3. On the title's detail page, click the GroupWatch icon. <div type="image" title="how to invite people to a DisneyPlus GroupWatch 1" height="877" width="1671" msid="80776850" hostid="261"></div>4. Click the "+" button on the GroupWatch page to get a link to the session. <div type="image" title="how to invite people to a DisneyPlus GroupWatch 2" height="882" width="1864" msid="80776852" hostid="261"></div>5. Copy the link.Now that you have the link to your GroupWatch, you'll have to share it with the people that you want to invite. Just remember that anyone you share it with needs to have a Disney Plus account - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-people-can-join-disney-plus-groupwatch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">up to seven people (including yourself) can join a single GroupWatch, and up to four people can join from a single Disney Plus account that's logged in on different devices</a>.There are a few different ways to share a GroupWatch link, but all them boil down to one basic concept: Just send people a message with the link pasted into it.<h2>How to share your GroupWatch invitation link</h2><ul><li>Email. You can also share the link via email. If you're using the mobile app, you can select your email app from the list of sharing options presented to you. If you're using a computer, you'll need to log into your email website and send an email from there with the link. </li><li>Text message. If you're using your smartphone, you can easily paste the link into a text message and send it that way. No matter whether you an iPhone or Android, the sharing options should include your default texting app, as well as other group chat apps like Signal or WhatsApp.</li><li>Social media. On a computer, sending the invitation link through your social media account like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram is as simple as going to the site, logging into your account, and pasting the invitation URL into a private or direct message. On your phone, select which app you want to share the link with from the sharing options menu. </li><li>Other sharing options. The invitation link can also be shared through any app or service that allows you to share text with someone. This includes less conventional options, like Slack, Google Docs, AirDrop, and more.</li></ul><pre> </pre><div type="image" title="How to invite people to a DisneyPlus GroupWatch 3" height="2208" width="1242" msid="80776854" hostid="261"></div>Once invitations have been sent, your guests will need to accept the invite by clicking on the link and logging into their Disney Plus account. Once they've joined, you can start the stream. Everyone will be synced up with everyone else.<h2>Related coverage from <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-reference" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tech Reference</a>:</h2><ul><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-start-a-disney-plus-groupwatch">How to host a Disney Plus GroupWatch and invite your friends and family to a virtual watch party</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-plus-groupwatch-reactions">How to use Disney Plus GroupWatch emoji reactions while streaming remotely with friends and family</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-change-language-subtitles-groupwatch-disney-plus">How to change the audio language or subtitles in a Disney Plus GroupWatch</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-many-people-can-join-disney-plus-groupwatch">Here's how many people can join a GroupWatch on Disney Plus to stream shows and movies together remotely</a></h3></li><li><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-disney-plus-on-my-tv">How to get Disney Plus on your TV no matter what kind of TV or streaming device you have</a></h3></li></ul>

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