Fake news on social media is the latest muddle faced by users. Now, social networking behemoths, such as WhatsApp are taking it seriously and have implemented preventive measures. In their latest stride towards a cleaner social media, Whatsapp will now mark your forwarded messages. For many, it’s a move well received and appreciated to curb the spread of fake news and related parapharnelia.
“WhatsApp cares deeply about your safety. We encourage you to think before sharing messages that were forwarded”, read a blog post by WhatsApp. The feature will add a ‘forwarded’ label on top of a forwarded message whenever someone sends it. The label will not be seen on text messages only but images, videos and audio messages too.
The feature was launched worldwide after an extensive beta testing in the company’s largest markets – India and Brazil. More than 300 million people use the app on a daily basis taking the rise of misinformation to levels never seen before. The update is the latest step WhatsApp has taken to address nuisance spread by fake news, including offering cash rewards to researchers studying misinformation spread and wrangling local law enforcement and fact checking organizations to counter its spread.
