In our multi-connected world, the lines between desktop convenience and mobile privacy are blurring more and more. Many of us today rely on the desktop version of our favorite messaging apps (for example WhatsApp Web and Telegram Download) to stay productive. But that also means that there is an opportunity for privacy issues to arise, the fact that you’re able to seamlessly transfer your phone data to your computer instead of having to unlock it just once to get your messages off the line. The best thing here is that after every WhatsApp Web and Telegram Download, we have a complete guide to locking down your privacy so that your conversations cannot be traced back to who you are.
Understanding the Link: WhatsApp Web and Telegram Desktop
Before you dive into settings, it’s important to understand the system at work here. WhatsApp Web and Telegram Download for the desktop aren’t standalone apps, they are just a mirror version of your mobile app. WhatsApp网页版 requires you to be connected to the internet to sync your messages (literally, it functions like a terminal). The official Telegram Download for the PC or Mac also connects to your account, but once you sign in it can actually operate independently (via the cloud-based Telegram service). Chats will sync across all linked devices.
Securing Your Account During the Initial Setup
The first step towards a more secure privacy is actually to download and link the actual WhatsApp Web client on your computer, otherwise you can risk downloading a maliciously crafted app. When you try to scan this QR code on the WhatsApp Web client, do so in a private, encrypted spot at a time that isn’t public or shared. These codes are often sent to your mobile phone as a single ‘one time password’, which you can never have shared with anyone. You can also adjust the permissions to allow two-step verification on both apps before linking your laptop/desktop client, which adds a second layer of security by requiring a password and SMS code for any new login.
Managing Active Sessions and Linked Devices
A primary part of privacy is knowing & controlling where your account is logged in. Almost every day after you complete your WhatsApp Web, as well as from the Telegram下载, check which are your active sessions. Under ‘Linked Devices’ in your Mobile app, you can see all computer(s) where WhatsApp Web is running. From here, you can log out. You should do this anywhere on the planet (if you happen to use a public computer and forget to logout). Under ‘Settings > Devices’ on Telegram, you can see all your active sessions. From here, you can kill any session you don’t recognize. So this is a stop gap to prevent a privacy violation from an unattended desktop client.
Configuring Your Profile and Last Seen Privacy
Privacy is not so easy to control. Both of these apps have options to restrict who gets hold of your personal info. You can make that control granular within WhatsApp by going to Settings > Account > Privacy from your handset. Below you can indicate who can see your Last Seen, Profile Photo, About info, and status option. There are usually options for ‘Everyone’ or ‘My Contacts’ or ‘Nobody’. I guess I would suggest choosing “My Contacts”. Either of these settings can be accessed via WhatsApp Web as well. Similarly after downloading the Telegram you can find these settings under Settings > Privacy and Security.
Controlling Group Invites and Call Privacy
Unwanted group adds and spam calls is a real pain in the ass. Luckily both platforms have powerful options to control group additions. In your WhatsApp privacy settings you can choose who can invite you to groups. The ‘My Contacts’ option will prevent those strangers from automatically adding you to groups; instead they will send you a private invite link. This is a universal settings and won’t affect your account on mobile or on WhatsApp Web. If you use Telegram after you Download it to your computer then go to Privacy and Security > Groups & Channels.
The Importance of Default Message Disappearance
A huge privacy feature on Telegram, especially on certain messaging apps, is modifying the timer in which messages will be deleted. While in WhatsApp there is an option ‘Disappearing Messages’ option per chat, on Telegram you can set up the default timer for all new private chats. Following Telegram Download, go to Settings -> Privacy and Security -> Auto-Delete Messages. On this tab you can choose a global timer (like a week or a month), after which all messages that will go missing in new one on one chats will be deleted automatically on both your devices.
Conclusion
It’s no secret that you can easily communicate securely from your desktop computer with both WhatsApp Web and Telegram Download, but you should never sacrifice security for convenience. By taking a few precautionary steps including locking up the initial login and looking at active sessions you can keep your messaging environment secure. (Keep in mind to lock down your desktop clients locally as well as perform regular privacy checks. )And finally, remember to be careful when switching from mobile to desktop.
