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> Profile, last connection time and status is public

Isn't those details (+ profile pictures) only available only you've accepted the first message from another user?

I think I recall that I cannot see a persons avatar when I message first unless they hit "Accept message" after me sending the message.

Is it not like that everywhere perhaps? I use Whatsapp with a number in the EU region.

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It depends on the other party's privacy settings. You can set it to display the profile picture to Everyone or Contacts.

That interaction that you mention doesn't exist in whatsapp at all. You don't have to "accept" messages from new conversations.

Not completely true; while you don't have to accept messages for them to show up in your conversation list, when you receive the first message from someone not in your contact list you get the option to choose between "report", "block" and "continue".

That's false. Once again there is no "accept" or "continue" button. If you initiate a conversation and couldn't see the profile picture until they replied back it's because you weren't on their contact list and they added you to their contact list using the "add" button.

https://i.redd.it/8mvd3ez9gmm81.jpg

That's not the same as "accepting" a conversation request like for example it works on facebook.

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