'KakaoTalk Profile' Can Now Be Displayed Differently to Workplace Supervisors

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] "Since we are a secret office couple, we absolutely cannot upload photos on our KakaoTalk profiles."

With Kakao introducing the 'Multi Profile' feature on KakaoTalk, such concerns are expected to disappear. Kim Taeksu, Kakao's Chief Product Officer (CPO), revealed the direction for next year's update at Kakao's annual developer event 'if kakao 2020' on the 19th.

CPO Kim said, "Starting next year, we plan to introduce the Multi Profile feature," adding, "You will be able to create multiple profiles according to various relationships."

Since KakaoTalk automatically adds all users registered with a phone number as 'friends,' there have been concerns about privacy exposure through profile pictures. As KakaoTalk profiles became a topic of controversy, some users experienced difficulties in their workplace.

By using the Multi Profile feature, users can create several profiles and display them according to the recipient. For example, couple photos can be shown only to acquaintances, while only individual photos are shown to work supervisors. This feature will be introduced as a beta test in the first quarter of next year.

CPO Kim said, "The image you want to show to someone may be something you never want or need to show to someone else," adding, "From now on, you can create multiple profiles and decide for yourself which profile to expose to which person."

Kakao also plans to implement safety measures to prevent misuse of the Multi Profile feature, such as impersonation.

In addition, Kakao will introduce a 'People Search' feature that allows users to register their qualifications on their KakaoTalk profiles and enables others to search for them. This will allow users to find professionals such as tax accountants and architects. The plan is to utilize the digital ID service Kakao is preparing. CPO Kim stated, "The qualification information provided in People Search is based on digital IDs, so the authenticity can be verified."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.