Instant messaging platform WhatsApp on Tuesday said it has rolled out a private messaging feature to encourage women to reach out and support each other to speak up on their issues.
The messages will appear on special mirrors in restrooms installed at select locations in Delhi and vanish without a trace like disappearing messages, the company said. WhatsApp has partnered with actor Anushka Sharma to launch a series of mirrored messages appearing in private spaces women’s restrooms in malls across Delhi. “We are thrilled to add two new privacy-first features that further strengthen and add to WhatsApp’s built-in layers of protection to offer users a safe space to have their most private conversations,” Meta India Vice-President Sandhya Devanathan said in a statement.
“Through the series of mirrored messages, we’re spreading the word on the importance of checking in on a friend or a loved one, encouraging women to reach out and support each other to speak up,” Devanathan said. In this feature, a message will appear on a restroom mirror when triggered by motion, alongside a QR code that offers suggestions for checking in via a private WhatsApp message. Afterwards, the message vanishes without a trace, just like a disappearing message on WhatsApp, the statement said. The messages are built into 4K LED screens behind mirrored perspex that easily blend into a bathroom setup. The messages are triggered by motion and only appear when someone approaches, the statement said.
Anushka Sharma said, “I’ve partnered with WhatsApp to drive awareness around the importance of having a secure space for women to confide in others and how a private conversation can be empowering for women to speak up and seek help when their safety and well-being might be at risk. I truly feel it is important to check in on a friend, colleague, loved one, especially if you haven’t heard from them in a while and that one private message can be a lifeline.”
