Meta says the new communities feature coming to WhatsApp was created with neighborhoods, work teams and parents in the same school in mind.
WhatsApp groups can now be brought together under one umbrella with the launch of a new feature for communities. Launched starting Thursday, it is designed so that updates can be sent to everyone in all groups at once, allowing even smaller discussions within individual groups.
Think of it as a stackable Russian doll from WhatsApp groups, which parent company Meta says was created with neighborhood communities, workplaces, and parents in the same school in mind. Once you're in, you can jump between individual groups (and presumably end up silencing most of them).
Community Managers will gain even more power, such as being able to send announcement messages to everyone in all subgroups. The same end-to-end encryption used in existing chats and groups will continue to apply, so no outsiders will witness the outdated memes you send to your kids.
Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg promises that the update simply "makes groups better". How is a community made?
You should see a new Community tab within WhatsApp - it's at the top of your chats on Android and at the bottom if you're using an iPhone.
But wait, there's more ...
New features will also be added starting today for existing groups. Chief among these are polls, which could help your friends finally decide what to see in the cinema this weekend.
Video calls are also extended to up to 32 people. Both additions will be available in standard WhatsApp groups and in those that are part of larger communities.
Meta says more updates will be on the way in the coming months.