Ephemeral messaging, better known as messages, photos, and videos that self-destruct after a set period of time, were made popular by Snapchat even though the feature has existed for a long time in one form or the other. Snapchat is really what brought ephemeral messaging to the mainstream. Many cross-platform messaging applications offer similar functionality now. Viber is the latest messaging service to enable users to send photos and videos that automatically delete after a set period of time.
Once Viber users have selected a photo or video that they want to send to a recipient they need to tap on the pencil icon to add a caption.
There they will find the timer icon at the bottom left of the display. Tapping the icon will bring up a listen and they can then choose how long they want that photo or video to be displayed on the recipient’s device. Options range from 1 to 10 seconds.
The recipient will not be able to view the message after the time is up as it will be automatically deleted from their device. Viber is actually calling this feature “Secret messages” and explains in the latest app update’s changelog that this feature allows users to set time limits on photos and videos so they self-destruct after they have been opened.