WhatsApp Adds Email Verification for Account Security

WhatsApp Introduces Email Verification Feature to Enhance Account Security

WhatsApp, the messaging platform owned by Meta, has continually improved its security procedures to protect user privacy and data. End-to-end encryption is already used in the application for personal communications to keep users' material private between sender and receiver. Furthermore, WhatsApp has lately launched various tools to improve account security, such as "silence unknown callers," "chat lock," and others. Despite these enhancements, the platform remains a prominent target for hackers, so WhatsApp keeps its development staff busy by adding new features.

With these security advances, WhatsApp is working on a new feature that would allow users to use their email addresses to verify their accounts. Wabetainfo reports that WhatsApp will continue to make the email verification function optional. If you enable this feature, WhatsApp will request your email address to safeguard and authenticate your account.

As of now, the functionality is still in development, and there is little information available regarding the precise instances in which the email address will be used to improve WhatsApp account security. However, in certain undefined cases, it may assist users in verifying their credentials. For example, if a phone is stolen or users lose access to their WhatsApp phone number, email verification will allow them to log in and log in to their account. It can also be beneficial when attempting to set up WhatsApp on a new device but failing to receive the verification code due to server or network difficulties.

It's crucial to note that this feature will be optional, and it will be distinct from the one that asks for your email address when you configure two-step verification. In terms of availability, the functionality is still in development and will be included in future app upgrades.

Meanwhile, WhatsApp has published its monthly report for June 2023. The report details the complaints received by the platform in the next month and how they were addressed. According to the research, WhatsApp blocked 6,611,700 Indian user accounts between June 1 and June 30, 2023. While the majority of the accounts were banned as a result of user reports, the report states that it proactively blocked 2,434,200 accounts before receiving any user reports.

Notably, in compliance with the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, WhatsApp publishes a monthly user safety report. This report outlines WhatsApp's activities in reaction to numerous events, including:

1. Grievances received from WhatsApp users in India via the grievance channels.

2. Accounts that have been acted on in India utilising WhatsApp's prevention and detection procedures as a result of breaches of Indian legislation or WhatsApp's Terms of Service.

3. The Grievance Appellate Committee's (GAC) orders.