WhatsApp is joining the list of social media platforms rising up to fight misinformation online. The messaging app now comes with a limit on how frequently a message can be shared on its platform.
In a new announcement, WhatsApp detailed that any message that has been forwarded five or more times will be restricted to prevent a user from sending it again to more than one contact at a time. The update started rolling out on April 7th worldwide.
WhatsApp's move is reminiscent of what it did in 2019 when it limited users from forwarding a message to multiple users at once. The service is being used by more than 2 billion people, so it was necessary to decrease the volume of message forwards per day.
"Is all forwarding bad? Certainly not," the company wrote in a blog post today. "However, we've seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation. We believe it's important to slow the spread of these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation."
The messaging service had its fair share of controversies in recent years after several deaths were blamed on the app for failing to stop the spread of misinformation. Now that the world is in the midst of a pandemic, WhatsApp is adamant about putting an end to all forms of fake news circulating on its platform.
Facebook has been hard at work, cracking down fake news on its platform, especially those related to the coronavirus pandemic. The social network now has a dedicated hub for COVID-19 to direct its users to accurate sources.
WhatsApp, along with Facebook, is also working with health organizations and NGOs to encourage people to donate. As of writing, the World Health Organization's hotline on WhatsApp and Messenger has raked over 10 million users only days after it launched.
Users of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Messenger are also advised to watch out for scammers taking advantage of the social networks' massive reach. In a time of crisis, a lot of people are vulnerable, and that's what scammers are banking on.
For the safety of its users, WhatsApp is also trying out a feature that allows users to peek the web for more context if they receive a video or text that appears questionable or unreliable. The feature should roll out soon, though no timeframe has been given.
