Numerous users want to get rid of them: New WhatsApp function rolled out in 150 countries

Status: 22/09/2023, 04:54 a.m.

By: Karolin Schäfer

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On WhatsApp, users can subscribe to news from organizations, football clubs or stars via channels. But can the channels be removed again?

Kassel – WhatsApp is one of the most popular messengers in the world. Again and again, the instant messaging service revises its functions or announces new features. WhatsApp also recently rolled out a new feature. However, not all users seem to like this.

WhatsApp channels launched in 150 countries: users can track stars, clubs and organizations

WhatsApp recently introduced a broadcast service. In the future, users will be able to subscribe to information and news from organizations, associations, companies or celebrities via so-called channels. The feature is now available in 150 countries, the company announced on Wednesday (13 September).

Whatsapp has a new feature that allows users to track content from organizations, clubs or companies. © Karl-Josef Hildenbrand/dpa

"We welcome thousands of organizations, sports teams, artists, and thought leaders to follow directly on WhatsApp," the WhatsApp blog read. Users can use emojis to react to content in the channels or forward them to chats and groups. However, subscribers cannot answer.

WhatsApp channels cause displeasure: Users want to remove new function – "Totally annoying"

"And this is just the beginning," WhatsApp shared. Further features are planned for the future. The response from ten countries was overwhelmingly positive. But apparently not everyone agrees with the new feature. "Only shortly after Google's search interest in WhatsApp channels increased, many users began to look for how to hide or deactivate the channels," Anja Ibrom, an expert on search engines at RTL, told the broadcaster.

Users also vented their anger on social media. "Please remove these unspeakable channels or at least let us hide them," wrote a user on the short message service X (formerly Twitter). "Totally annoying," he summed up. "I don't want these channels!! It lacks a function to disable them," complained another.

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New feature on WhatsApp: Can channels be hidden or removed?

A similar function is already available on the instant messaging service Telegram. A look at Google Trends revealed that some users were actually looking for how to delete or hide WhatsApp channels again. But is that easily possible?

Currently, there is no way to hide the channels. According to WhatsApp, however, they are at least separated from the chats. People or organizations that users follow are not visible to other subscribers, the messenger service pointed out. As the industry portal Netzwelt reported, Android users can at least install the previous WhatsApp version and thus bypass the new function. However, this is only a short-term possibility. In order for WhatsApp to continue to work, users will have to download a more recent version at some point.

However, creators of a channel can delete it. "If you, as an admin, delete your channel, the channel and channel status messages will be removed from the 'Status Alerts' tab in your app," the messenger's privacy policy said. Then the channel would no longer be accessible to others. In the event of a longer absence, WhatsApp users should definitely observe the 120-day period. Otherwise, all chats and pictures could be deleted. (kas)