WhatsApp limits message forwarding to fight coronavirus misinformation

(Prototype credit: Alex Ruhl/Shutterstock)

In order to ho-hum the spread of false data effectually coronavirus, WhatsApp is limiting how often chat messages can be forwarded.

From now on, you'll exist able to forward a often-forward message -- one that'due south already been forwarded more than five times, indicated by a double-pointer icon -- to just one contact or group chat at a time. If you want to forwards something to more than one contact, yous'll have to practise it manually.

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"We know many users forrard helpful information, likewise every bit funny videos, memes, and reflections or prayers they observe meaningful," WhatsApp said in a blog post. "Withal, nosotros've seen a pregnant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can experience overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation."

WhatsApp may non exist used much in the U.Southward., but in many parts of the world it'southward practically a utility. Tens of millions of people use WhatsApp for local and international phone calls, social networking and photo and video sharing every day. It works, it's easy to employ and it'southward totally gratis.

Deadly disinformation

Unfortunately, WhatsApp has likewise become a stiff mode to spread false rumors and other dubious information. WhatsApp'southward group-chat role has been cited as a factor in the spread of anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka and in mob lynchings in Bharat, both in 2018. Dozens of people were killed in Republic of india.

Equally a response, WhatsApp in July 2018 limited the forwarding of messages to only five chats at in one case in Bharat, and so extended that limit to the rest of the world six months afterwards.

Now people are burning jail cell-phone towers in Britain and Ireland because of cyberspace rumors that 5G signals cause coronavirus infections. WhatsApp is widely used in those countries.

Those rumors are beingness spread on many social-media platforms. Facebook and YouTube are deleting posts that spread this stupid notion, only WhatsApp tin't do the same because its terminate-to-end encryption prevents it from seeing the contents of individual posts.

The WhatsApp blog post doesn't mention the jail cell-tower arson, but does say that WhatsApp is trying "to help connect people with accurate information," and invites its users to visit the WhatsApp fact-checking folio and the WhatsApp coronavirus information hub.

WhatsApp said its beginning attempt at slowing the spread of false information led to a 25% decrease in message-forwarding. It conspicuously hopes to brand an even bigger paring this time.

Paul Wagenseil is a senior editor at Tom'due south Guide focused on security and privacy. He has also been a dishwasher, fry cook, long-haul driver, code monkey and video editor. He's been rooting around in the information-security infinite for more than 15 years at FoxNews.com, SecurityNewsDaily, TechNewsDaily and Tom's Guide, has presented talks at the ShmooCon, DerbyCon and BSides Las Vegas hacker conferences, shown up in random Boob tube news spots and even chastened a panel discussion at the CEDIA home-technology conference. Yous can follow his rants on Twitter at @snd_wagenseil.