WhatsApp's 'delete for everyone' feature has a major flaw

Looks like WhatsApp’s recently launched new feature, which allows users to delete embarrassing messages isn’t completely full proof. Reportedly, this feature will not work when a user has already quoted the message, you wish to hide.

According to a report by The Next Web, it would appear that this feature works the same way in group chats and private chats as well. Apparently, this isn’t a bug but in fact, is a part of the feature.

Up until now, if a user sent a message and deleted it from a group or individual chat within seven minutes, the message would disappear. However, if within these seven minutes, that message is quoted, then the original message will successfully disappear but the deleted text continues to show in the recipient's quote respectively. There is no clarification provided in the WhatsApp's FAQ as to how this feature works.

For a while now, researchers have discovered shortcomings in WhatsApp’s implementation of deleted messages. Recently, a report claimed that recipients can easily have access to the deleted messages as they are saved in the device.

According to Spanish Android blog Aandroidjefe, the deleted message is present in the notification centre of the recipient’s smartphone. Users can simply access the deleted messages, even if the message has not been opened, thanks to a few apps.

One such app as is called ‘Notification History’. The app, which is available on the Google Play Store, will create a shortcut on your home screen. You can tap the icon to open the notification registry of the Android system. You will have to search for the notification which says WhatsApp. The blog points out, “the message will be in the line that says "android.text", as you can see in the illustrative images at the beginning.”