WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.20.9: what’s new?

WhatsApp is rolling out a new update through the Google Play Beta Program, bringing the version up to 2.23.20.9.
What’s new in this update? WhatsApp is rolling out a channel alerts feature to notify creators about the status of their channels, and it is available to some beta testers!

CHANNEL ALERTS

After widely releasing the ability to react to channel updates with the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.19.4 update, WhatsApp is now rolling out a new feature designed to keep channel creators informed about the status of their channels, particularly when they are closed in specific countries. This move comes as a response to local laws that require the platform to restrict access to certain content within certain regions. WhatsApp is dedicated to following local laws and conducting comprehensive assessments of legal and human rights, and limiting the channel’s visibility is the result of their commitment to compliance with these regulations. This feature is available after installing the latest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.20.9 update from the Google Play Store:

As you can see in this screenshot, WhatsApp notifies the channel creator if their channel’s visibility is restricted in certain countries. In the case shown in the attached screenshot, the channel is no longer available in the US. These alerts aim to keep channel creators informed about the status of their channels in specific countries where they might be restricted due to legal requirements. This proactive approach shows that WhatsApp is dedicated to following local laws and protecting human rights while offering a safe and private platform for its users.

Channel alerts work by notifying the channel creator when their channel is closed in a specific country. This means that users with phone numbers associated with that country will no longer be able to access or follow the channel. However, we can consider this as an advantage since WhatsApp doesn’t completely close the channel as it remains open and accessible in other countries where it is not affected by legal restrictions.

For obvious reasons, there is no way for you to confirm whether this feature is already available for your account, as it requires you to follow a specific channel that’s not accessible in your country. We also do not know if such channels even exist at this time. However, we can assure you that these channel alerts are already available to some channel creators, which will be informed in case their channels are not available in certain countries, and the attached screenshot in this article serves as conclusive evidence.

The channel alerts feature to notify creators about the status of their channels is available to some beta testers who install the latest WhatsApp beta for Android update from the Google Play Store, and it is rolling out to even more people over the coming days.

Stay up-to-date on WhatsApp news by following WABetaInfo on Twitter where you can also discover other new features for WhatsApp beta for Android, iOS, Web/Desktop, and Windows.

Do you like this news? Please, let us know on Twitter: we love hearing your feedback! If you’re curious to know where you can find WABetaInfo, there is a dedicated page where you can discover our services.
In addition, we have set up a Discord Server where you can chat with other people, get help and advice, and stay up to date with the latest announcements from WABetaInfo.