New Delhi: Citizens can now directly connect with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he joins WhatsApp Channels, a newly introduced feature on the messaging app. Soon after joining the channel, Modi shared a picture of himself at the new Parliament building.
The Prime Minister joined the channel shortly after its launch, and the channel is simply named “Narendra Modi.”
In his first post on WhatsApp Channels, Prime Minister Modi expressed his excitement, sharing, “Thrilled to join the WhatsApp community! It is yet another step closer in our journey of continued interactions. Let’s stay connected here! Here’s a picture from the new Parliament Building.”
WhatsApp Channels offer administrators the capability to conduct one-way broadcasts comprising text, photos, videos, stickers, and polls. With the Lok Sabha elections approaching in a few months, this platform can be a valuable tool for the Prime Minister to personally engage with voters. Importantly, channels are distinct from regular chats, ensuring privacy for followers’ choices.
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, also shared an update on Facebook, announcing the global rollout of WhatsApp Channels.
As WhatsApp continues to evolve, it faces challenges in maintaining user privacy while expanding its features. The recent updates have sparked discussions about the balance between security and usability, similar to the concerns raised in the context of WhatsApp’s privacy campaign, which aims to educate users on how to protect their communications. For more insights on this topic, check out WhatsApp overplayed its privacy campaign—latest ad feels like a drag.
“Today we’re starting to roll out WhatsApp Channels globally and adding thousands of new channels that people can follow in WhatsApp. You can find Channels in the new ‘Updates’ tab,” Zuckerberg wrote in his post.
WhatsApp Channels serve as a one-way broadcast tool for sharing information and receiving updates from individuals and organisations privately within WhatsApp.
Additionally, following a Channel safeguards a person’s identity by not revealing their phone number to the channel administrator or other followers.
Notably, several prominent figures, including the Indian cricket team, Katrina Kaif, Diljit Dosanjh, Akshay Kumar, and Vijay Deverakonda, have also launched their WhatsApp Channels.
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