WhatsApp reduces forward limit for messages to check fake news on COVID-19

Social messaging app WhatsApp brought down the limit of forwarding frequently forwarded messages from five to one on Tuesday. It will be rolled out to the android and iPhone users shortly. The step was taken to check the spread of fake information about Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The rule would thus apply only to those messages which have already been forwarded five times or more. Currently, a message can be forwarded to five users at a time on WhatsApp.

The move came after WhatsApp noted a surge in the number of frequently forwarded messages which are related to COVID-19.

However, the users will still be able to send such frequently forwarded messages by copy-pasting them in the chats of individual users. They will just not be able to bulk send them at a time due to the new rule.

The step is being taken to reduce the number of fake messages on COVID-19 among WhatsApp’s 400 million plus Indian users and over two billion global users.

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