HomeTech PointWhatsApp Sets New Restrictions...

WhatsApp Sets New Restrictions On Viral Message Forwarding

Despite heightened awareness of the ability of private messaging apps to spread disinformation related to the coronavirus pandemic, WhatsApp said it would set new restrictions on message forwarding. Beginning today, messages marked as “extremely forwarded “— sent via a chain of five or more people — can only be forwarded to a single person. The step is intended to the pace at which knowledge travels through WhatsApp, putting on a more even footing the truth and fiction are on their highest level.

“We know many users forward helpful information, as well as funny videos, memes, and reflections or prayers they find meaningful. In recent weeks, people have also used WhatsApp to organize public moments of support for frontline health workers,” Facebook-owned company WhatsApp said in a blog post. “However, we’ve seen a significant increase in the amount of message 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 a personal conversation.”

For much of the life of WhatsApp, it was simple for users to forward a single message with only a few taps to as many as 256 individuals. These messages were not classified initially as forwards. WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption could make it almost difficult for authorities to decide who could use the App to promote hate speech or calls to violence.

WhatsApp began experimenting in 2018 with restrictions on how many times a message could be forwarded. For the first time, it also started to mark forwarded messages and add two arrows to indicate that a message has been sent twice. The Facebook-owned company has started restricting the number of individuals you can f a single message to only five contacts.

The new restrictions are very soft because nothing stops you from repeatedly forwarding the same message to various people. Yet adding more pressure has helped slow the overall message forwarding rate — forwards worldwide are down 25 per cent in the past year, WhatsApp reports.

During a massive pandemic-related surge in use, WhatsApp has focused on how disinformation can be spread. Last month, CNN and other news outlets noticed the App being used to spread several misleading details about COVID-19 “cures” and hoaxes about the disease-related military operation. Ireland’s prime minister, Leo Varadkar, has urged people to “Please stop posting unverified news on WhatsApp groups.”

Besides, WhatsApp has launched a bot made by the World Health Organization that provides healthcare professionals with information on the disease being screened. More than 10 million people use the App, and WhatsApp has contributed $1 million to the Fact-Checking Network.

Most Popular

More from Author

The Flexibility of Payday Loans Repayment Options

Are you in need of quick financial assistance but worried about...

A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Hang a Projector Screen Easily

Do you want to upgrade your home theater experience? Installing a...

How to Earn Money From the Snack Video App

Snack Video is a popular video-sharing app that has recently gained...

Solar Panels Costs vs Future Savings Calculation Software

Solar energy calculation requires an integrated approach. Several factors need to...

Read Now

Where MOBA Games Fans Can Travel to This Spring

The competitive season will be very busy in 2023. Almost the entire year will be full of big events but spring stands out especially. With the arrival of the first heat, the first top-tier Dota 2 and League of Legends will be hosted. The MOBA game by Valve...

How to Make a Mobile Banking App and Succeed in the Fintech Sector

Mobile banking apps are becoming increasingly popular in recent years due to the steady and increasing demand for Neobanking solutions - which incorporate exclusively online mobile banking solutions to traditional, legacy banking. When seeking the answer to how to make a mobile banking app, fintech start-ups must...

How Does the Credit Card Work?

A credit card is a form of payment for services or products that has a predefined credit limit. Understand how it works. "Debit or on credit?" is one of the most frequent questions in commercial establishments in Brazil.  Even though it is so popular, the credit card can...

Do You Really Need a 4k Monitor To Edit 4k Videos?

It makes sense to acquire a larger display if you want more room to work on your computer. However, finding a solution is the issue. A safe bet resolution should be at the top of your list of features to review. Still, with me, let's proceed to the...

Apple MobileMe Review: Stay Connected Anywhere, Anytime.

Apple MobileMe is a subscription-based online service developed by Apple. It provided users with various online services such as email, online storage, and synchronization of contacts, calendars, bookmarks, and notes across multiple devices. MobileMe was first introduced in 2008 and discontinued in 2012, with its services replaced...

Text-To-Speech Technology: Benefits and Challenges

Text-To-Speech Technology is a powerful tool that has revolutionized the way we communicate and interact with technology. By converting text into speech, it has enabled us to access information faster and more effectively. TTS is used across a wide range of industries and for many different purposes. It...

Excellent mobile apps for editing women’s looks

Users of social networks believe that the current trend is naturalness without filters, but many of them continue to use photo editors. There are many girls for whom it is important to bring a perfect result in their next photo before sharing a new publication on their...

How Technology Has Integrated with the Gaming Industry

Advancement in technology is changing our daily lives in one way or another. We have become so dependent on technology so much today that we end up implementing technology in everything that we do. It makes our lives comfortable and improves them daily, as seen winced the...

The Top 12 Online Marketplaces in the USA

If you want to build your Ecommerce business in 2023, you must utilize online marketplaces. In the United States, retail e-commerce sales doubled from 2017 to 2022, increasing from $425 billion to more than $875 billion. This expansion of e-commerce has a direct effect on all types of...

Apple Music vs. Spotify: Which One is the Best Music App?

Apple and Spotify offer premium music streaming to users. Can you want to see the difference between apple music vs Spotify? Apple Music and Spotify are excellent streaming applications around the world. You may also have a choice to select your favorite music streaming after viewing the...

Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming: The Future of Mobile Gaming

Microsoft Xbox Cloud Gaming, formerly known as Project xCloud, is a cloud-based streaming service developed by Microsoft that lets users play Xbox games on various devices, including smartphones and tablets. The service uses cloud technology to stream the game to the user's device, eliminating the need for...

Disney Plus Not Working? Here’s How to Fix It Quickly

Many people can't live without Disney+, but it has a lot of bugs and doesn't always work right. It's annoying to have problems with your Disney plus account so often that you can't use it. This tutorial will show you how to watch Disney Plus on your computer,...