WhatsApp recently rolled out its Channels feature in India. This Instagram-like feature was initially introduced in some select regions, and after its successful run, it was launched globally last week. WhatsApp Channels offer a straightforward, dependable, and private method to receive crucial updates from individuals and organizations within the app. The new feature is similar to regular WhatsApp chats but differs slightly. For one, it’s a unidirectional broadcast tool that ensures the privacy of both administrators and followers. However, just like regular chats, users can edit and delete their updates if they decide to do so.
Deleting a Channel on WhatsApp is pretty straightforward, but it’s essential to consider the long-term implications before making the decision. When a channel is deleted, past updates will remain accessible to followers on their phones, but non-followers and new people can no longer find the channel in search results or via sharing links. Moreover, any media files shared on the channel will be inaccessible for 30 days after deleting the channel.
You can delete a Channel from your phone by opening the update and tapping the Delete update button. This will be followed by a confirmation message saying, “Delete for everyone,” which you must tap on again. Once you do, all your followers will see a system message that the channel is no longer available. In addition, you can also remove a single update from the channel by pressing and holding it and selecting the Delete for Everybody option.
However, remember that the deletion process is irreversible, and once a channel is deleted, it cannot be restored. This includes any past updates that were automatically saved on your followers’ phones, as well as any screenshots or other locally saved copies of those updates.
To avoid spam, WhatsApp warns that a channel should not contain any content that could cause severe harm or threaten others’ health, safety, or privacy. It should also not promote or facilitate the organization or coordination of violent, criminal, or illegal activities. Finally, it should not share content that depicts or encourages self-harm, violence against children or women, or sexual exploitation.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that the Channels feature isn’t fully end-to-end encrypted yet. WhatsApp says it’s working to encrypt channels over time. The company currently charges 99 cents a year for WhatsApp, and it competes with several other messaging apps, including Viber, which is being snapped up by Japanese giant Rakuten for $16 billion, as well as Line in Asia.
To create a WhatsApp Channel, head over to the Updates tab on your phone (iPhone) or the Channels page on WhatsApp Web. Once there, scroll through the list of channels until you find the one you want to edit or delete. You can only edit text messages and not updates that contain photos or videos. You can delete an update by tapping and holding it and then clicking on the Delete for Everybody option.