Audio and video calls on X.com/Twitter could harm your privacy. Here’s how to protect yourself.

Without warning, the platform X.com (formerly Twitter) has deployed the functionality allowing you to receive audio and video calls. The latter is also activated by default… and raises a problem linked to the disclosure of your IP address.

At the very end of February, the X.com platform (formerly Twitter) was proud to announce the launch of a new feature, allowing audio and video calls. Thus, any person registered on X.com (whether they have a paid subscription or not) is able to call another user, using private messaging.

Audio and video calls enabled by default on X.com

Obviously, this functionality was quickly praised by the CEO of the platform, namely Elon Musk. The latter has never hidden his ambition to make X.com a universal network that can offer almost all the services available on a smartphone. Activated by default, the function does however have a small confidentiality concern.

Indeed, not only are you likely to receive an unwanted call, but by default, each call reveals the IP address of the two interlocutors. To avoid disclosing this sensitive information, you should go (quickly) to the application settings.

How to disable/set up audio and video calls?

In fact, without action on your part, you can now be called by just about anyone on the social network. In order to deactivate audio/video calls, you should follow the following procedure:

• Go to the Private Messaging section
• At the top right, click on the “Settings” symbol
• Uncheck the “Enable audio and video calls” option

Note that if you do not deactivate the functionality, it is possible to refine certain settings. In particular, you can select the users from whom you wish to be able to receive a call.

In this way, you can restrict the list to people in the address book, to users you follow, to those who have a certification badge or even… to everyone.

Finally, the platform also offers a parameter which will allow “ improve call privacy “. The latter takes care of not revealing your IP address during the call and is disabled by default.

Source : TechCrunch