Viber has announced that Rakuten Viber will continue to provide a number of features that prioritize privacy
Rakuten Viber, one of the world’s leading apps for free and easy communication round-up 2021 by reflecting on all the achievements and initiatives made for this year. The technology giant remains committed to providing a safe and great user experience that can ultimately give a sense of togetherness to all the new and long-time users. 2021 was indeed challenging for Viber in Myanmar but we kept reinventing our platforms for users and continued our operations with a more focused approach on the privacy & security of the platform.
To maximize the privacy and security measures that Viber already has equipped within the app, we also introduced the “Disappearing Messages” feature in Viber Group with a self-destruct timer to messages for extra privacy. Now Viber users can set messages in a group chat to disappear 10 seconds, one minute, one hour, or one day after being read, offering more options than with the disappearing message features of other apps.
Another collective feature of Viber which proved itself to be of utmost use during the stay-at-home period during 2021 would be “Viber Communities & Bots”, where people of similar interest can join the conversation and publish relevant content. Users can enjoy more admin controls such as promote members, pin messages, control members’ writing privileges, disable receiving private messages, and a lot more. As the conversations in the community are secured, members can explore new features such as GIFs, stickers, video messages, etc. And, most importantly, members’ contact details are hidden by default.
Presently, banks (AGD Bank, AYA Bank), telecom & internet services (Ooredoo, MPT, Telenor, Unilink Myanmar), fast-moving consumer goods (Unilever – Rexona, Sunsilk, Vaseline, Elan & Family Care), entertainment (movie short review, channel Myanmar, Mahar), shopping malls (CMHL), mobile brands (Samsung), job portals (MyJobs), and many other small scale enterprises connect with their target customers and vice-versa. NGOs and civil society groups also launched their community to reach out to a large number of beneficiaries in remote areas for medical assistance and urgent supplies such as WHO Myanmar Covid19, and Myanmar Red Cross, Ma Shat Nae. We also partnered with Myanmar’s most recognized astrologer San Zarni Bo to help Viber users with valuable predictions. It provides a weekly horoscope for 12 zodiac signs in both the Burmese and English languages, totally free. 
Photo Source thantsettun@mangomyanmargroup.com
In 2021 we also introduced “Viber Lenses in Burmese” in collaboration with rangoon.tech and many local artists including Sassy Bound. The initiative aims to bring families and loved ones together. By using a lens, Myanmar users can transform themselves into an old Burmese toy Pyit Taing Htaung TOY (PTH Toy Lens), play a game of clay pot balance and challenge their friends, or role play as U Shwe Yoe (Upcoming lens). Our lenses and also the customized ones can bring out the local culture to life.
Our analysis of “Viber usage in 2021” unveils that in Myanmar, the highest growth was seen in Viber Communities of 48 percent followed by increased usage of Chatbots of 32 percent. As work from home continued in the country, messages sent in group chats increased by 23%, group chats created surged by 24% and exchange of 1:1 messages rose by 25%. Overall people of Myanmar bestowed their trust on Viber for ensuring safe communication.
Viber believes that 2022 will be the year of hope and new goals. Our unwavering commitment to connect people will be furthered by empowering them with the best-in-class features for personal and professional communication. In Myanmar, the privacy and security of our user’s key information and the conversation would be the utmost priority. In addition, we will continue to focus on bringing advanced business solutions for small and medium enterprises to help them connect with their customers. Besides these, we would be working on making the platform a place to find positivity through its creative and infotainment features.
