WhatsApp’s hilarious new feature lets you silence people that are annoying you

This is not a drill. We repeat. This is not a drill.

It’s hard to keep track of what our apps can and can’t do, with new updates and features happening on almost a weekly basis.

From the introduction of Instagram gifs and creepy snap maps to the WhatsApp hack where you can read messages without your friends knowing, there are almost too many new features.

Well, surprise - it looks like there’s a new WhatsApp update to get your head around, with the latest feature giving power to group admins.

Confused? We’ll talk you through it.

The Facebook-owned messaging service is reportedly pitching a ‘Restricted Groups’ setting, allowing group admins to restrict the members of its group when they see fit.

Whether a group member is being offensive, abusive or just plain annoying, the group admin can now silence them, stopping them from sending messages and sharing Gifs, pictures, videos and documents.

According to WABetInfo, the new ‘Restricted Groups’ setting via Google Play Programme can only be activated by the group admins, with the user, once restricted, only able to read the group admin’s messages. Not only this - the admin will then have to approve all of the restricted member’s future messages before they appear publicly on the group.

There is a catch though - with a group only being able to restrict someone once every 72 hours - but if you want to block more group members in that time frame, you probably shouldn’t be in a group with them in the first place.

Basically - all the power is going to the group admins - so make sure your group’s over-sharer isn’t in the driver’s seat.

This could be very useful.