MANILA, Philippines - Daum Kakao introduced Secret Chat mode and Decline Invites features for KakaoTalk, adding even greater privacy and protection to the popular mobile messaging platform. Available upon updating to the newest version of KakaoTalk, the new features provide users with increased options on how communications are carried out – and with whom – resulting in a more satisfying chatting experience.
Secret Chat mode is a new type of chatroom that employs end-to-end encryption on all messages exchanged within the chatroom. Secret Chat ensures heightened confidentiality of user conversations by providing end-to-end encryption, where the decryption key for chat messages is stored in the user’s device, making messages only readable by the users involved in the conversation. Since the decryption key is stored only in the device, other parties cannot access conversations through any outside point—even through servers.
There are two ways to begin chatting in Secret Chat mode. Users can press the menu in the upper right corner of any 1:1 chatroom and select Secret Chat. Or, they can also open a chatroom by inviting a friend using the chat bubble with the plus sign in the “Chats” tab. When only one friend is selected from the list, users can select the mode of chat they want: Regular 1:1 Chat or Secret Chat. Once a chatroom opens in Secret Chat mode, the chatroom remains open, even when the user quits and restarts the app, allowing for continued conversation. The Secret Chat mode is currently available for 1:1 chats, with a group Secret Chat mode expected in the first quarter of 2015.
The update also includes a Decline Invites feature for group chats, allowing users to decline all future invites to chatrooms they no longer wish to participate in. The feature is expected to enhance user experience as it provides users with more autonomy and self-control over which KakaoTalk chats they wish to participate in.
The Decline Invites feature can be found under the “Settings” menu in the “More” section located in the upper right corner of any group chatroom. By pressing the “Leave and Decline Invites” option, users are able to permanently leave the chatroom and not be re-invited back.
Brandon Park, who oversees the KakaoTalk Service department at Daum Kakao, said, “We’re seeing a growing interest in digital privacy from our users, and the Decline Invite feature has been a popular feature request.” He continued, “We are offering even more options, both in levels of privacy and involvement in group chatrooms, so users can enjoy KakaoTalk in a way that is comfortable for them. These new features reflect our users’ needs and feedback, and we will continue to develop features to enhance their overall user experience.”
Secret Chat mode and Decline Invites feature will be available first for Android OS users with the 4.7.0 version update, and an update for iOS users is soon to follow.