Want to block IP address on WhatsApp? Meta's new privacy feature could make your call slower

“Meta” and “privacy” may not be two side-by-side things. The company is known for its controversial privacy scandals in the past years, but recently, a new feature that lets you block IP address on WhatsApp has been spotted in a beta update for Android users.

Folks over at WABetaInfo spotted through the Google Play Beta Program (v. 2.23.18.15) that this new feature will be available in future flights. You’ll soon be able to protect the IP address in calls from unwanted intruders. It would work by routing calls through WhatsApp’s servers, making it more difficult for the other party to track the user’s location.

To turn it on, a toggle called “Protect IP address in calls” in Settings > Calls needs to be turned on, as you can see in this screenshot. But here’s the catch: enabling the feature could slightly degrade call quality, as the call would have to travel an extra step to be routed through WhatsApp’s servers.

In case you missed it, Meta is also looking to repaint WhatsApp’s interface with a new color scheme, icons, and tabs. As we’ve previously reported, this new update is now live on Beta testers on iOS devices.

WhatsApp for mobile is available on both iOS and Android devices.