Sharing vital information during times of crisis is of the utmost importance. However, the sharing of fake news is becoming more and more problematic.
Not a week goes past, without a chain message being shared via social media platforms such as WhatsApp. Whether the message shares information on a simple home remedy which can cure COVID-19 or that 5G can cause the coronavirus.
In light of chain messages doing their rounds, WhatsApp will be placing new limits on message forwarding. This is to help curb the spread of misinformation about the coronavirus pandemic.
The new policy will limit users to forwarding certain messages to one “chat” at a time. This is to limit the rapid propagation of false content.
While the change doesn’t completely prevent widespread forwarding, as a person can still share it if they are willing to continue hitting the forward button, but by making it a bit more difficult in the Facebook-owned company hopes to slow down most of the viral messages.
In 2019, WhatsApp set limits on forwarded messages to five chats at a time. This was to slow down viral messages. This was in response to events in India, where unverified information went viral, resulting in mob violence.
The new policy applies to messages forwarded “many times” and is marked with a double-arrow. According to WhatsApp, this is to indicate that it did not originate from a close contact.
As WhatsApp and Facebook work on curbing the spread of false information about COVID-19, while promoting verified content, what are your thoughts on the new policy? Do you feel that the company is justified in imposing limits?
Share your thoughts and views with us in the comment section below.
