Is having your profile picture on WhatsApp dangerous? Should we remove our image from the messaging app as soon as possible? Let’s be clear.
Is having your profile picture on WhatsApp dangerous? In these days the news has been chased on several newspapers that many users have deleted their profile picture from WhatsApp, for reasons related to security and privacy.
May 2019 was not a great month for WhatsApp: the popular instant messaging app had to deal with massive data theft due to a virus that endangered user data. What centers the profile image and why would it put your safety at risk? Let’s try to shed some light.
WhatsApp: is the profile picture dangerous?
Despite the general alarmism, we are faced with a rather unique case: having the profile picture on WhatsApp, with your face, does not constitute a real danger. Or at least, it doesn’t differ much from having a profile photo on any social network like Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Of course, if not supported by the appropriate options, it is very simple to take a profile photo of others on WhatsApp (and on other social networks) through the practical “save image” button.
Anyone, once in possession of the photo, can seize it for their own purposes: pretend to be another person, operate scams, trade in person or use it for a fake account.
Is having a profile picture on WhatsApp really a danger? No, the news in question is absolutely not related to a virus or to a sudden boom of scams: it is a hoax.
WhatsApp: protect your profile photo
The news, however, also hides a fund of truth, since the profile photos on WhatsApp belong to other users easily downloadable. The app is currently releasing a new version for WhatsApp Business Beta, number 2.19.60.4, to protect its profile image on iOS and Android.
If you really fear identity theft via WhatsApp you can adopt some solutions such as settings to hide the profile photo from certain users.
Doing it is very simple and will allow you to add an extra level of security to your account: through the “Account Settings”, refer to the “Privacy” section and then to the “Profile Picture” to open the various preferences. You can choose whether to share your profile photo with everyone, even accounts not saved in the address book but which have your number, my contacts, only saved numbers, or none.
Another excellent alternative is to opt for images of other kinds (such as landscapes, characters from films, TV or cartoon series, animals, etc.). In this way you will be sure to protect your identity which, in principle, does not run any risk. We remind you that identity theft through social networks can be reported to the competent authorities.