WhatsApp beta testers have access to a new option that allows them to link to a verified Instagram profile, complete with a special icon that others should recognize.
This ability is not necessarily something that will appeal to or interest all WhatsApp users, but it is certainly something that has value for some types of user. Creators are among those who are likely to welcome this addition, as are companies and brands looking to build trust and drive engagement.
It has always been possible to include a link to an Instagram profile in WhatsApp, but the verification process is a new arrival.
The new feature was spotted – as such new things so often are – by WABetaInfo. The WhatsApp obsessed site reports:
Following the release of the WhatsApp beta for Android 2.25.23.19 update, some beta testers can verify their own Instagram accounts through the Accounts Center, ensuring that others see that the linked profile belongs to them. Once verified, the Instagram icon and handle will appear directly on their WhatsApp profile. This adds trust and credibility, as other people can immediately recognize that the Instagram account really belongs to the user, rather than being a random or potentially fake link. Profile link verification is optional, and users can still add unverified links if they do not want to add their WhatsApp account to the Accounts Center.
The ability to verify Instagram accounts via WhatsApp is a process that is greatly simplified by the fact that both WhatsApp and Instagram are owned by the same company – Meta. This makes it a relatively simple task for the firm to cross-reference details in its Account Center and provide visual confirmation to others that a WhatsApp profile and a linked Instagram profile really are owned by the same person.
As much as anything, this is a security tool. This new verification option makes it more difficult – although certainly not impossible – for an imposter to pose as a company or well-known individual by pretending to be associated with an official Instagram profile. The absence of a verification badge should now make it clear to others that something is amiss.
As ever, this is something that it is hard to predict a timeline for. While currently available to beta testers, it is not clear when the rest of WhatsApp’s user base will gain access to this same option.