To protect privacy, WhatsApp has set up a lock to prevent screenshots of one-off photos. But how secure is this?
Screenshots are now prohibited in certain places on WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp messages that have been enabled for one-time view can no longer be screenshotted.
- This lock is a built-in feature of Android and cannot be circumvented by software.
- But the content can still be photographed with another device.
WhatsApp has had a function for a long time that allows you to activate the one-time view for photos and videos. This means that the media can only be called up once and can no longer be viewed afterwards. Recently, you can no longer create screenshots of these media. WhatsApp blocks the function as soon as you open a corresponding image.
The fact is: on the software side, there is currently no way to bypass this lock. An error message appears when trying to take a screenshot. If you try to capture the content with a screen recording app, it will be replaced by a black screen. This is based on an Android security feature.
There is a loophole
This also applies to many other apps: payment and banking apps, for example. This is to ensure the confidentiality of the information displayed. However, this lock is not absolutely secure. After all, the lock cannot prevent you from simply photographing or filming the photo or video with another device.
Also interesting…
You should be aware of this possibility when sharing sensitive content via WhatsApp single view. If you want to be on the safe side, you should therefore completely refrain from sharing them via Messenger.
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