WhatsApp has finally addressed one of its major storage issues with the introduction of a new cleanup tool.

      If your phone’s storage is unexpectedly decreasing, WhatsApp channels could be a contributing factor. Media such as photos, videos, voice notes, and other content shared by channels can accumulate in the background, and up until now, cleaning them out has not been an enjoyable task. However, that is finally changing.

      WhatsApp is introducing a new storage cleanup tool specifically for channel media, which will provide Android beta users an easier way to reclaim space without having to sift through countless files individually. This feature was first seen in development a few months back and is now starting to roll out to select beta testers through the most recent WhatsApp beta update for Android.

      No need to search through endless channel files anymore

      In the past, users were able to manage channel media through WhatsApp’s storage settings, but the process was rather cumbersome. Each file had to be manually examined and selected, making the cleanup feel more like a tedious task than a straightforward maintenance routine. The new tool simplifies this process with two specific methods for managing downloaded channel media.

      The first option can be found directly on a channel's information page. Here, users can see everything a specific channel has saved on their device and filter files by category before deleting them. Instead of scrolling through a mixed collection of media, users can now focus on photos, videos, stickers, or voice notes, depending on what consumes the most space. Additionally, WhatsApp will not automatically remove starred updates during the cleanup, allowing important posts you’ve saved to stay on your device while the rest is cleared out, minimizing the risk of accidentally deleting something valuable.

      The junk drawer within your phone

      WhatsApp is introducing a second shortcut that may be even more helpful for users who follow numerous channels. Within the Updates tab, users can now long-press on one or more channels and select a new Clear media files option from the menu. This feature allows you to delete stored media from multiple channels at once, rather than having to open each channel individually. While this might seem like a minor adjustment, it addresses a growing concern. Many channels share photos and videos daily, and those downloads can take up significant storage over time. As these files are often forgotten once viewed, users may not realize how much space they’ve lost until they receive alerts about low storage.

      Currently, this feature is only available to a limited number of Android beta testers using the latest WhatsApp beta from the Google Play Store. As with many WhatsApp features, its rollout is gradual, so it may be a few weeks before more users gain access. The company has not yet announced when the storage cleanup tool will be available in the stable version of the app. However, for those subscribed to many WhatsApp channels, this could turn out to be one of the app's most useful quality-of-life improvements in quite a while.

      Shimul is a contributor at Digital Trends and has over five years of experience in the technology field.

      LinkedIn is seeking user assistance in combating AI-generated content

      LinkedIn is confronting a serious issue with AI-generated content and is now involving its users to help address it. The platform is rolling out a new button that allows users to report posts they believe to be AI-generated. This feedback will be utilized to improve the system that determines the visibility of a post beyond a user's immediate network, based on its perceived AI origin.

      This announcement follows an analysis by Pangram, which discovered that over forty percent of long-form posts on LinkedIn are entirely AI-generated, suggesting that earlier measures to limit reach this year have not been sufficient on their own.

      Meta employed AI to keep you engaged on Instagram for longer

      Have you found yourself spending more time scrolling through Instagram lately? You're not mistaken. Meta has disclosed to investors that AI is central to this trend.

      During its second-quarter earnings report, Meta revealed that the time users spend on Instagram increased significantly year over year following the launch of new AI-enhanced recommendation systems. The company noted that the most substantial improvements came from enhancements in recommendations for Reels and other public content, facilitating the discovery of videos users are more likely to watch.

      Meta’s recent courtroom losses reveal weaknesses in social media’s strongest defense

      Two jury verdicts have bolstered plaintiffs against Meta, but they haven't changed the landscape for social media regulation. One case was based on consumer-protection laws in New Mexico, while another case asked a California jury whether addictive design choices contributed to a young woman's mental health issues.

      These verdicts, outlined by The Wall Street Journal, reached Meta through different legal channels but collectively indicate that Section 230 becomes a less reliable defense when lawsuits focus on the platform's internal decisions.