WhatsApp can now hide your IP address during calls for added security -Gudstory

Calls on WhatsApp are (optionally) getting even more secure for the app’s most privacy-minded users. As mentioned in this blog post, WhatsApp has added a new “Preserve IP address in calls” toggle to its Settings that protects your IP from whoever is on the other end of the call. When activated, calls will be relayed through Meta/Whatsapp servers, thereby hiding your real IP address.

“Most calling products people use today have peer-to-peer connections between participants. This direct connection allows for faster data transfers and better call quality, but it also means that participants need to know each other’s IP addresses,” WhatsApp’s Daniel Sommerman, Sebastian Messmer and Attaullah Baig said in the post. wrote. “IP addresses may contain information that some of our most privacy-conscious users care about, such as broad geographic location or Internet provider.”

But increased privacy doesn’t come without tradeoffs; WhatsApp notes that the new setting “will reduce call quality.” This page reiterates how to enable the new setting, where WhatsApp says “When using call relaying, you may find that call quality is reduced.” The company also stressed that calls are always end-to-end encrypted – even if the new relay option is being used.

Other measures mentioned in the blog post are an option to silence unknown callers (first announced in June), which WhatsApp says prevents spam abuse and also a vector for complex cybersecurity attacks. shuts off.

“Protecting user privacy and security is absolutely essential for WhatsApp to fulfill its mission of enabling private communications for the world,” the blog post reads. “These new security features join many other protections to keep people safe on WhatsApp.” You can find the new Protect IP toggle in WhatsApp’s Settings under the Privacy section.