As far as I know, WhatsApp builds upon XMPP, a protocol which also includes presence (the first P of XMPP). Good XMPP clients let you choose which contacts can

As far as I know, WhatsApp builds upon XMPP, a protocol which also includes presence (the first P of XMPP). Good XMPP clients let you choose which contacts can receive presence stanzas. WhatsApp is not one of them (it also does not federate). Use Conversations instead.