Opinion | Posts that go poof!

WhatsApp might soon offer a feature that lets you post a message that vanishes after a while. Messages that self-destruct, of course, have been staple fare in espionage, but this is a logical extension of the platform’s current option of deleting a message within a time limit. Stuff written in a hurry, or foul mood, can be withdrawn. There may also be sensitive matters discussed of an off-the-record nature that could cause an interlocutor acute embarrassment if found in someone’s handset memory. Self-erasing messages are reportedly part of test version of WhatsApp for Android devices. Available for group chats, posts can be set to go poof in five seconds or an hour.

Such a feature may alarm those who believe all conversation needs to be kept on record for future reference. WhatsApp’s promise, however, is one of confidentiality. Its messages are encrypted, which aids chat spontaneity.