Even though each message sent online is ideally typed with full thought, one can't help but make typographical errors, missend messages, or even divulge sensitive information at the height of a heated exchange.
Privacy in the online world is a big deal and messaging platforms have taken moves to address user concerns. Keep your messages secure and your privacy in check with these functions across multiple messaging platforms.
ALSO READ: Protect Your Privacy Online With These 5 Expert Tips
Here are the privacy features on popular messaging apps:
iMessage
- Edit: only for phones on iOS16
- Disappearing: not available
- Unsend: not available
- Screenshot: no alert or notification
Timed chats and rescinding messages are yet to be integrated into Apple’s in-house messaging system. The latest feature to land on iPhones through the new iOS 16 update is the edit button.
An "edited" label will pop up in every message that’s been revised, thus informing the entire chat if there were edits made. This feature is available only to iPhone users with iMessage enabled.
No notifications or alerts are sent if you screenshot a message.
Viber
- Edit: yes
- Disappearing: yes
- Unsend: yes
- Screenshot: no alert or notification
Edited essages will be marked "edited", informing other users in the chat that the original message was revised.
Disappearing messages on the app will be automatically deleted 10 seconds, 1 minute, 1 hour, or 1 day after being read, depending on the setting. There is no way to retrieve a message that has self-destructed.
Recipients using Android phones cannot screenshot disappearing messages, and iPhone users are alerted if the recipient attempted to forward the message to another group chat.
Unsending or deleting a message will inform everyone in the group that a message was rescinded.
Under normal chat circumstances, Viber doesn’t notify users if a screenshot has been made.
Facebook Messenger
- Edit: no
- Disappearing: yes
- Unsend: yes
- Screenshot: no alert or notification
Facebook Messenger is yet to come up with an edit feature, but it does have an end-to-end secret conversation function that prevents your messages from being seen, even by staff at Meta (or so that’s what it says on the guidelines).
The app can also self-destruct messages after a period of time, anywhere from 5 seconds up to 1 day. No notification seems to be sent for any screenshots made, both for normal and secret chats.
Like Viber, Facebook Messenger’s unsend feature informs everyone in the chat that a message has been deleted. You can choose to unsend just on your end or for the entire group. If you choose to unsend for the entire group, the chat will know.
Telegram
- Edit: yes
- Disappearing: yes
- Unsend: yes
- Screenshot: no alert or notification for generic messaging
Telegram boasts a suite of features, including an edit button, self-destructing secret chats, and an unsend or delete function.
Edits are clearly marked as edited, but deleted messages disappear without a trace or notification.
Secret chats on Telegram are encrypted and can be programmed to automatically delete anywhere from 1 second to 1 entire week. Users can delete their own messages and messages from friends for all parties, ensuring complete deletion from the log without any notification.
Users are alerted of screenshots while using secret chat.
- Edit: no
- Disappearing: yes
- Unsend: yes
- Screenshot: no alert or notification
Secret chats and deleting messages is possible on WhatsApp. Self-destructing messages can be programmed to automatically delete like in other messaging apps, and unsending messages will notify the group.
The messaging app is working on an edit button for its users.
- Edit: yes
- Disappearing: yes
- Unsend: yes
- Screenshot: no alert or notification for generic messaging
Though mostly used as a photo- and video-sharing app, Instagram's direct message function permits users to converse privately, making it an ideal messaging platform for those who live on the app.
Since the app is focused on visual messages, it doesn’t have features like edited messages or self-destructing chats. It does have self-destructing photo messages, though. Instagram is part of the Meta system, home to Facebook messenger, so integrating chats can enable Messenger functions on Instagram if access is granted.
Contrary to popular belief, Instagram doesn’t actually notify users if their stories or permanent DMs were screenshot. Only screenshots take of disappearing photos or videos sent in the DMs will merit notification.
Any other content on the app such as stories, posts, reels, and other content such as comments and likes can be screenshot without notification.
Instagram will only notify you for a screenshot taken of a disappearing photo or video sent in a private DM thread. Instagram does not notify screenshots for stories, posts, reels, permanent DMs, or any other content on the app.
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