WhatsApp group admins to soon have more control over new members

WhatsApp Group links can be really convenient when you want to create large groups quickly. A shareable link allowed admins to simply share it while all relevant users could themselves join the group via the link. However, this convenience also opened a security vulnerability as the link could end up in the wrong hands and anyone could join the group.
A new WhatsApp update is now looking to rectify this issue. Among the new features, the latest WhatsApp beta update also includes an Admin Approval feature, that when enabled, will allow WhatsApp group admins to accept or deny requests of people who are joining via a link.

The news comes from WABetaInfo, and suggests that the feature — currently only limited to beta users– will soon be available for stable versions of the app on Android and iOS both.
The Admin Approval feature on WhatsApp will need to be manually turned on when it is available, for each group admins want the feature to work in. The toggle to turn it on or off will be available in the group settings as “group membership approval” and every time the feature is turned on or off, all exing users in the group will be sent a quick alert to let them know of the change.Best of Express PremiumPremiumPremiumPremiumPremium
Once the group membership approval feature is turned on, every time someone tries to enter the group via a shareable link, admins will find the requests of the same waiting in a separate sub-section in the Group Info section. Admins can then pick users they want to allow entry to the group from here.
New gender-neutral emojis
The new WhatsApp update is also introducing new gender-neutral emojis in the app. A report WABetaInfo also suggests that these new emojis will also be available in multiple skin tones, including the default golden tone. This feature is currently only in beta and may take a while before it appears on stable versions of WhatsApp.