WhatsApp to cap number of forwards to five chats per user

WhatsApp to cap number of forwards to five chats per user

News:

1. WhatsApp has put a limit on message forwarding in a bid to reduce the spread of misinformation.

Important facts:

1. In India, WhatsApp is trying a limit of five chats, as against 20 for the rest of the world.
2. The current limit is 250 chats.
3. The step was taken to curb the menace of fake news and rumours being spread using its chatting platform.
4. The issue gains prominence in the light of the string of lynchings taking place in India sparked off by fake news items regarding child kidnappings being spread on WhatsApp.
5. The company will also experiment with removing the quick forward button next to media messages in India.
6. The company will soon remove the quick forward button next to media messages.
7. In India, people forward more messages, photos, and videos than any other country in the world.
8. Recently, the company also launched a test of a feature that would label forwarded messages such, thereby distinguishing them from private messages.