WhatsApp Takes Steps To Reduce The Spread of False Information
For a while, as a company Facebook has been taking various steps to prevent the use of fraudulent accounts and the spread of false information. Facebook has been revising the Privacy Policy of Facebook and Instagram and has also given out various updates to boost WhatsApp’s performance too.
A few days ago, a new feature was released for WhatsApp that labeled forwarded messages to curb the spread of false information and spam. The necessity for such steps was highlighted after the gruesome killings of two people by a mob in India, due to false information that was spread through WhatsApp. The government reacted, and the company has been keeping this as a priority.
WhatsApp is now receiving another update, and that is to do with forwarding of messages. Previously one could forward messages or images to an unlimited number of groups, but now that is restricted to just 20 groups worldwide, but the count is further reduced to only 5 groups. Another step is the ‘quick forward’ option that was shown alongside photos and media, is now being removed from Indian users.
These steps are being taken to ensure that WhatsApp continues to remain as a private messaging application and not a news app. Especially, not a fake news app. But though these changes are welcome, and though they do help to a certain extent, they cannot guarantee that fake news would not be spread.
Safety
Other steps that have been taken by the company is buying full-page newspaper ads in India to help inform the 200 million users on how to identify and stop the spread of fake news and information. But WhatsApp isn’t just stopping till there.
The company has approached India’s Election Commission, and have plans to include new features to make the upcoming national general election next year from spams and fake news. A fake news verification system has also been planned to be put in place, just as the one that was recently used in Mexico.
Just Texting
This system helped combat spam messages, and also the spreading of fake news and information. These steps that have been taken by the company assure that Facebook does not want to lose its biggest market for WhatsApp and that it also wants to make the process not just easy and seamless, but also safe.
WhatsApp was made to be a channel where people could talk with ease, and chat as groups. But the amount of forwarded images and information ruins the experience. Facebook intends in bringing the fun back, and now.
