Viber launches new useful features in channels

Rakuten Viber adds new features to the channels: comments on posts, scheduling posts and hidden lists of channel members. In the channels, bloggers and brands will continue to share news, attract new audiences and explore their interests. And users – to find interesting content while maintaining confidentiality. Any Viber user can create their own channel.

What’s new in Viber channels:

Comments: In addition to the previously launched reactions to the posts, there are comments on the channels. People can now exchange views and discuss with other members of the channel. Comments are turned on and off at the discretion of the channel administration.
Scheduling publications: authors now have the ability to plan future posts in advance. To do this, when publishing a post you need to press the send button and select the desired time.
Hidden channel list: This feature allows users to maintain privacy. The list of channel members will be available only to admins and superadmins, and users will only see the total number of members. This step ensures the privacy and security of data in Viber.

The administration of the channel will be able to turn the community into a channel with the help of a special bot: https://chats.viber.com/community2channel. The transition to the channel works in one direction, after the transition it will be impossible to convert the channel back to the community. All previous posts will remain available, and community members will become members of the channel.

Simultaneously with the launch of these new features, Rakuten Viber is signing the EU Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Hate Speech Online. Viber will track, analyze and remove public hostile statements in channels on its platform. To this end, the company will cooperate with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumer Protection and a network of specialized non-governmental organizations. If aggressive or derogatory content appears on a channel, users or one of the participating organizations will be able to mark the post as unacceptable and will soon be reviewed by the Viber moderator team. Viber will consider such messages within 24 hours provided by the Code.

By involving specialized non-governmental organizations, Viber plans to better protect its users from the spread of hate speech. In May 2022, Idit Arad, Rakuten Viber’s Chief Legal Adviser, joined the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, in Brussels to sign an agreement to join the EU Code of Conduct.