WhatsApp tightens message forwarding limits to curb coronavirus misinformation

In order to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus misinformation, WhatsApp has decided to impose new limits on the number of times a forwarded message.

The new policy limits users to forwarding certain messages to one “chat” at a time, aiming to limit the rapid propagation of content that is provocative but likely to be false.

WhatsApp, which has more than 2 billion users worldwide, said in a blog post it made the change after observing a “significant increase” in the number of forwards since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

“We believe it’s important to slow the spread of these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.”

Damian Collins, a British member of parliament, called the move “a timely intervention,” noting that WhatsApp was being used to spread recent hoaxes that 5G wireless networks were spreading the virus.

“The online conspiracy theories about #5G exposed last week, and their real-life consequences, are a clear call to fight misinformation about #COVID19,” Collins tweeted.

Last year, WhatsApp set limits on forwarded messages to five chats at a time.

It must be noted that to date, 1,438,291 cases of novel coronavirus have been recorded across the world, and 82,726 deaths.

Italy has been the worst-hit country, recording 17,127 fatalities out of 135,586 cases. Spain has recorded 14,555 deaths from 146,690 cases.