Communities are a safe place for you to share your interests with new people, and take part in a conversation with them about common passions. They are a great way to build your networks and maybe even make new friends!
To help you engage with new people in a simple and safer way, we are happy to introduce Hidden-number Chats – an extra private way for Community members to chat directly, without the need to exchange or expose their phone numbers.
Usually, when you want to chat with someone new on Viber, you have to exchange your private phone number or add them as a contact in your phone book. In a Community you don’t have access to other member’s phone numbers, and you may not want to give your private number to someone you don’t know at all.
When you start a Hidden-number Chat in a Community, neither your phone number nor the phone number of the person you are talking to are visible, safeguarding your privacy. All both of you see is the name and photo you chose for your Viber profile.
Start a Hidden-number Chat
If you want to message a member of a Community who is not a contact, you can do so either by tapping their photo in a Community message, or from the members list in the Community info screen.
When you tap on another member’s name, you will see a pop-up with their photo, Viber user name, and the option to send them a message. There is no option to call them, and their phone number is not shown on the screen. Get started by tapping on Message.
Control the private chats you receive
You are in control of the chats you receive through a Community.
When you are sent a message by someone in a Community, you can choose whether to accept it. When a message is sent to you, you will see a pop-up with the name of the person who has sent you the message, your mutual Communities and the option to see the message or block it.
At any point, only you can decide you want to share your phone number in the new chat you are part of.
Even more – as a member, or superadmin and admin or you can decide whether other members of a Community can send you hidden-number chats. All you need to do is open the Community info screen and tap OFF for receiving hidden-number chats. With this off, no one from that Community will be able to send you a message.
So go ahead, make friends with people like you today!
