The latest feature that WhatsApp is working on is the ability for you to allow others to share your status updates. This is now live in the latest WhatsApp beta for Android, which means it will probably make it to the non-beta track in the next few weeks or months.
The feature is pretty self-explanatory, really. The main point here is that this will be off by default. So if you want to let others share your status updates, you will have to turn that on during the creation of each status update. And when someone shares your status, you will be notified.
However, viewers of the shared status won’t see that it was you who created it, in order to preserve your privacy. Interestingly, if someone re-shares a shared status you created, you won’t be notified of this action – only the person who first shared yours. That’s because a shared status basically creates a new version of it.
Up until now, sharing status updates was only possible by those who were directly mentioned in one. But with this new feature, anyone can share your statuses if you allow sharing. Of course, this greatly aids in the visibility of your statuses, if that’s something you want.