NEW DELHI: WhatsApp will now globally limit message ‘forwards’ to five chats at a time, a practice it had introduced in India in July last year to crack down on spread of rumours and fake news through its platform.
WhatsApp said on its blog today that the move will help keep “WhatsApp focused on private messaging with close contacts”.
“WhatsApp carefully evaluated this test and listened to user feedback over a six-month period.”
A WhatsApp spokesperson said the company saw a 25 per cent reduction of forwarded messages being shared on WhatsApp.
“We believe this is a reasonable number to reach close friends, while helping prevent abuse,” the spokesperson added.
The move comes at a time when governments and regulators across the world are looking at effective ways to curb the spread of fake messages through digital platforms. – IndiaTimes
