iWorld
Celebrating Women’s Day with WhatsApp’s privacy superpowers
Mumbai: International Women’s Day is around the corner and WhatsApp believes everyone should have a safe space to communicate with their family and friends. Over the years, they have launched numerous innovative features that ensure your privacy is protected at all times and people feel empowered to take control of their online safety.
Here’s a list of five privacy features that help build a private and safe messaging experience for everyone, especially women in today’s digitally connected world.
. Control your online information and presence: On WhatsApp, you can control your personal details such as – Profile Photo, Last Seen, Online status, About, Status, and who sees it by selecting who gets access to their online information – everyone, contacts only, select contacts, or no one – empowering you to control your digital presence.
.You choose who you talk to: WhatsApp is a private and safe space for people to communicate with their loved ones and people who have your phone number. However, at times when you receive problematic messages from unknown numbers, you can ‘block and report’ the account. Blocked contacts or numbers will no longer be able to call you or send you messages.
. Safeguard your account privacy: On WhatsApp, you can add an extra layer of security to your account by enabling Two-Step Verification, which requires a six-digit PIN when resetting and verifying your WhatsApp account.
. Not every message needs to last forever: For added privacy for your conversations, you can turn on disappearing messages that vanish within twenty-four hours, seven days or ninety days after the time they are sent, depending on the duration you select.
. Secure your most private chats: Use Chat Lock to protect your most intimate conversations with a password, securing them in a separate folder. When someone messages you and you have that chat locked, no one can see those messages even if someone has your phone.
e-commerce
Flipkart rolls out 105 per cent bonus for 20,000 employees
Strong FY25 performance drives payouts even as layoffs and shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: In a year where belts were tightened and rewards loosened, Flipkart seems to be playing both offence and defence trimming roles on one hand while handing out a generous 105 per cent bonus on the other. The Walmart owned e commerce major has rolled out a 105 per cent bonus payout for 2025, covering nearly 20,000 employees, signalling a year of steady operational momentum even as the company navigates restructuring pressures. The payout, communicated internally by chief human resources officer Seema Nair, is tied to performance across key metrics including growth, operational efficiency, financial outcomes and people indicators, a combination that suggests the company is inching closer to its long stated goal of sustainable profitability.
Employees at SD level and below are set to receive their bonuses in March, while payouts for senior leadership, including vice presidents and senior vice presidents, will follow after the close of the performance cycle. The elevated 105 per cent multiplier stands out in a sector where cautious payouts have increasingly become the norm, pointing to what appears to be a relatively strong internal scorecard for FY25.
Yet, the announcement arrives with a noticeable contrast. Earlier this year, Flipkart reduced its workforce by around 300 roles as part of its annual performance review process. While officially framed as performance driven, the juxtaposition of layoffs alongside above target bonuses reflects a more nuanced balancing act, one that prioritises cost discipline while continuing to reward and retain high performing talent.
This dual approach is becoming increasingly common across the technology and e commerce landscape, where companies are navigating an uneven hiring environment while under pressure to deliver profitability. Rewarding top contributors, even amid selective workforce reductions, allows firms to maintain morale and retain critical talent without losing sight of financial prudence.
At the same time, Flipkart is also undergoing leadership shifts that hint at a broader strategic recalibration. Nishant Verman has been appointed senior vice president for corporate development and partnerships, while group chief financial officer Sriram Venkataraman is set to step down. Ravi Iyer will take on expanded responsibilities within the finance function, marking a reshuffle at the top as the company gears up for its next phase.
These changes come amid reports that Flipkart is planning to shift its holding structure back to India, a move widely interpreted as groundwork for a potential public listing. While timelines remain fluid, the combination of stronger financial discipline, leadership restructuring and employee incentivisation suggests a company preparing itself for greater scrutiny and scale.
For employees, the 105 per cent payout offers a welcome boost in what has otherwise been a period of adjustment. For Flipkart, it is a signal that even as it cuts where necessary, it is willing to spend where it counts. In the high stakes game of growth versus profitability, the company appears to be hedging its bets carefully, rewarding performance while reshaping itself for what could be its most defining chapter yet.
