WhatsApp introduces new limits on forwarding messages to stop spread of fake news

Messages that have been forwarded more than five times will receive a new double arrow icon 
Christian Wiediger / Unsplash
Amelia Heathman7 April 2020

Scams and fake news are having a great time during the Covid-19 panic, from misinformation about cures to the denounced conspiracy that 5G caused coronavirus.

WhatsApp has introduced a new feature to help prevent the spread of misinformation on the platform by limiting how many times “frequently forwarded messages” can be sent on, as well as introducing new signage to denote these types of messages.

We all received that Wembley lasagne voice note, as well as the one of the lady drinking wine in her pyjamas at 7am in the morning. This is the type of message that WhatsApp will now label as “frequently forwarded”, as it has been forwarded at least five times. The app will highlight this to users via a new double arrow — this will also signal to WhatsApp users that the original message didn’t originate from one of their close contacts.

In addition, there will also be a limit on how these messages can be forwarded on. Those that are recognised by the app as frequently forwarded will only be allowed to be forwarded to one chat at a time.

In a blog post, WhatsApp has stressed that this isn’t an attempt to crack down on forwarding messages completely. “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 organise public moments of support for frontline health workers.

“However, we’ve recently 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 platform is also testing ways to include more information about these viral messages. One idea is that a little magnifying glass icon will be display next to frequently forwarded messages which will give users the option to see news stories and information resources relating to that particular message. This feature is currently in testing though, so won’t be available on your app just yet.

WhatsApp has also teamed up with the UK government on its new Coronavirus Information Service, an automated chatbot which aims to provide information to people on help with their health queries as well as combat the spread of fake news online. In addition, it is using machine learning to identify and ban accounts that regularly engage in mass messaging with the intent to spread viral messages.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

It’s a scary time for many people, so it’s good that online platforms like WhatsApp are taking action to prevent the spread of fake news and misinformation.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in