WhatsApp Sets Limit On Message-Sharing To Prevent Fake News

WhatsApp imposes a new rule to all its members to limit forwarding a single message up to five times. This move is rolling out worldwide to prevent abuse and to resolve the issue of spreading fake news. WhatsApp will block users who will be caught forwarding a message to more than five individuals or groups to fight the spread of false information on the platform.
 
The company has initiated the new policy in India last July following many mob lynching incidents most of which were blamed on misinformation that spread via the messaging service. According to critics, WhatsApp’s message-sharing design hides the identity of the sender and allows messages to spread widely with little accountability.

The said limit comes with another feature that identifies forwarded messages and the removal of the quick-forward button that can be found next to images, video and audio clips. Having implemented this for 6 months, the firm claim that they have reduced forwarding by 25% worldwide and much more in India, which is one of the countries that hold the highest message-forwarding rates in the world.

The latest update to WhatsApp new policy was announced at an event in Jakarta, Indonesia. The company said that their decision was made after evaluating the results of a 6-month test. "The forward limit significantly reduced forwarded messages around the world," a spokesperson added in a statement "[This] will help keep WhatsApp focused on private messaging with close contacts. We'll continue to listen to user feedback about their experience, and over time, look for new ways of addressing viral content."

The company believes that setting the limit to five recipients is good enough to reach close friends or family while helping the platform in fighting abuse.