“We recently introduced a limit to sharing ‘highly forwarded messages’ to just one chat. Since putting into place this new limit, globally there has been a 70% reduction in the number of highly forwarded messages sent on WhatsApp,” a WhatsApp spokesperson told TechCrunch in a recent statement.
In a release on April 7, WhatsApp said that from then on, users could send frequently forwarded messages they receive to only one person or a group at a time, rather than five. The purpose of the new restriction is to prevent the rapid spread of misinformation.
“Last year we introduced users to the concept of messages that have been forwarded many times. These messages are labeled with double arrows to indicate they did not originate from a close contact. In effect, these messages are less personal compared to typical messages sent on WhatsApp. We are now introducing a limit so that these messages can only be forwarded to one chat at a time,” WhatsApp wrote in its statement.
“Is all forwarding bad? Certainly not. 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. However, we’ve 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 statement adds.
Since the COVID-19 crisis began, some WhatsApp users in India have employed the forwarding feature to spread false information - though the users were frequently acting in good faith - about treatments that allegedly combat the novel coronavirus, TechCrunch reported. According to the outlet, the messaging service has more than 400 million users in India, making the country its biggest market.
