If I see a person's status in WhatsApp, does it mean that I am in their contacts - briefly?
If you can see someone's status on WhatsApp, it typically means that they have saved your phone number in their contacts list. This is because WhatsApp allows users to control who can view their status updates based on the contact list.
If I see a person's status in WhatsApp, does it mean that I am in their contacts - in detail?
When you see someone's status on WhatsApp, it does not necessarily mean that you are in their contacts list. The visibility of a user's status is determined by the privacy settings they have chosen for their account. WhatsApp offers several options for users to control who can see their status updates:
- My Contacts: This setting allows only the people saved in your phone’s address book to view your status. If you see someone's status and they have selected this option, it means they have your number saved in their contacts list.
- My Contacts Except...: With this setting, all your contacts can see your status except for those you explicitly exclude. If you see a status from someone who has chosen this option, it indicates that you are not one of the excluded contacts.
- Only Share with...: This is a more restrictive setting where only specific contacts, as chosen by the user, can view their status. If you see someone's status under this setting, it means they have specifically added you to the list of people who can view their updates.
- Nobody: This setting means that no one can see the user’s status. Naturally, if someone has chosen this option, you will not be able to see their status regardless of whether you are in their contacts or not.
Additionally, WhatsApp allows users to share their status on other platforms like Facebook and Instagram. If a user shares their status publicly on these platforms, anyone can view it, including people who are not in their contacts list.
In summary, seeing someone's status does not inherently indicate that you are in their contacts. The ability to view a status is governed by the privacy settings chosen by the user. If you see a status update, it means the person has set their privacy settings in a way that includes you as a potential viewer, but this does not confirm that your number is saved in their contacts list.