# WhatsApp adds passkeys, stronger passwords and caller context 2026-08-25T16:21:43+00:00 | Technology | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets WhatsApp has announced new security features rolling out gradually on Android and iOS. Users can now create multiple passkeys for the same account, allowing sign-in via fingerprint, Face ID or screen lock. More than one billion users already use passkeys, WhatsApp said. The two-step verification system has been strengthened. Instead of a six-digit PIN, users can now set a full password with letters, numbers and special characters. WhatsApp advises avoiding weak passwords such as "123456" and says the change will make it harder for attackers to guess security information. On Android, WhatsApp will display additional details about unknown callers, including whether the number originates from another country or shares groups with the recipient. The features arrive as account takeover attempts and phishing attacks become more sophisticated, Gulf News reports. The update does not affect end-to-end encryption on messages and calls. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Both outlets report the same WhatsApp security update, but their framing diverges noticeably. Times Now leads with the user-facing features, multiple passkeys, stronger two-step verification, and unknown caller context, presenting the announcement as a straightforward product enhancement. Gulf News uses the same facts but opens with the threat landscape: sophisticated phishing, social engineering attacks targeting users, and a specific March hacking campaign against Signal and WhatsApp. By foregrounding the risk before the remedy, Gulf News frames the update as a necessary defensive response, not a voluntary upgrade. The contrast matters: one story tells you what changed, the other tells you why you should care. WhatsApp reported over three billion users globally. The new password and passkey options roll out gradually on iOS and Android, no deadline has been given for full availability. ## Coverage Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral - timesnownews.com (neutral report) Leads with new features as a product announcement, not as a response to threats - gulfnews.com (neutral report) Leads with the threat landscape: phishing, hacking campaigns, before describing features This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources. Last updated 2026-08-26T02:20:38+00:00. Tags: Meta, WhatsApp Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/whatsapp-adds-passkeys-stronger-two-step-verification-to-fight-scams/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/whatsapp-adds-passkeys-stronger-two-step-verification-to-fight-scams/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the reports linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. Stance labels are editorial classifications of how each outlet framed this story, assigned by the same model, not ratings of the outlets. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/