What are WhatsApp Stories and who can see them - briefly?
WhatsApp Stories are a feature that allows users to share temporary updates with their contacts. Only those in your contact list can view these stories.
What are WhatsApp Stories and who can see them - in detail?
WhatsApp Stories, introduced in 2017, are a feature that allows users to share photos, videos, and text updates that disappear after 24 hours. This functionality is similar to the stories feature found on other platforms like Instagram and Facebook. WhatsApp Stories provide a more dynamic way for users to engage with their contacts by sharing fleeting moments from their daily lives.
The visibility of WhatsApp Stories is primarily determined by the user's privacy settings. By default, Stories are visible to all contacts in your phone’s address book who also have WhatsApp installed. However, users can customize these settings to control who sees their stories:
-
My Contacts: This setting restricts the visibility of your Stories to only those contacts who you have saved in your phone's address book.
-
Contacts Except...: With this option, you can exclude specific contacts from seeing your Stories while still allowing others to view them.
-
Share Only with...: This setting allows you to selectively share your Stories with only a few chosen contacts, providing a higher level of privacy and control over who sees your content.
-
Nobody: If you choose this option, your Stories will be visible only to you, effectively making them private and invisible to all other contacts.
Additionally, WhatsApp provides a feature that allows users to view the list of people who have seen their Stories. This can be useful for understanding who has access to your content and helps maintain transparency in your interactions.
In summary, WhatsApp Stories offer a temporary and engaging way to share updates with contacts. The visibility of these stories is governed by user-defined privacy settings, ensuring that users have control over who can view their shared moments.