In a move that's resonating with millions of WhatsApp users across India, PayTM founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma has proposed a simple yet revolutionary feature that could transform how we use the popular messaging platform.
The Privacy Feature Everyone Needs
Sharma took to social media to suggest that WhatsApp should introduce a 'pause last seen' feature that would allow users to temporarily hide their online status without completely disabling the function. This would give users more granular control over their privacy while maintaining the convenience of the platform.
Why This Matters for Indian Users
For a country with over 500 million WhatsApp users, privacy concerns have become increasingly important. Many users find themselves in situations where they want to maintain some level of privacy without appearing completely offline or unavailable.
'Sometimes you just want to check messages without the pressure of immediately responding,' explained one social media user, echoing the sentiment of thousands who supported Sharma's suggestion.
Overwhelming Public Response
The proposal has sparked massive engagement online, with netizens enthusiastically endorsing the idea. Social media platforms are flooded with comments praising the PayTM CEO for identifying a genuine user need that Meta-owned WhatsApp has overlooked.
Key benefits users are excited about include:
- Better work-life balance by controlling visibility during personal time
- Reduced social pressure to respond immediately to messages
- Enhanced privacy without completely disabling features
- More control over digital presence and availability
Industry Impact and Future Possibilities
Sharma's suggestion comes at a time when digital privacy features are becoming increasingly important for Indian consumers. As one of the country's most prominent tech entrepreneurs, his voice carries significant weight in the industry.
The overwhelming positive response demonstrates that users are seeking more sophisticated privacy controls that balance connectivity with personal space. This could potentially influence future updates not just to WhatsApp, but to other messaging platforms as well.
While WhatsApp hasn't officially responded to the suggestion, the viral nature of the proposal indicates that user demand for such features is substantial and growing among Indian netizens.
