WhatsApp forwards restricted to block misinformation on Covid-19

Stringent measures at times like a pandemic put some sense of responsibility in many of us. Globally exploited and the most preferred social networking chat App WhatsApp probably thought those stringent rules need to be set for those innumerable WhatsApp forwards, some genuine some fake, to keep a check on the COVID-19 spread.

With billions of people unable to see their friends and family in person due to COVID-19, people are relying on WhatsApp more than ever to communicate. People are talking to doctors, teachers, and isolated loved ones via WhatsApp during this crisis. And, that is why WhatsApp says messages and calls on its App are end-to-end encrypted by default to give the user a secure place for most personal conversations.

"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," announced WhatsApp on April 7, 2020.

In a similar measure like this, earlier, WhatsApp had set limits on forwarded messages to constrain virality, which led to a 25% decrease in message forwards globally at the time.

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.

In this COVID-19 situation, WhatsApp says it is committed to working directly with NGOs and governments, including the World Health Organization and over 20 national health ministries, to help connect people with accurate information. Together these trusted authorities have sent hundreds of millions of messages directly to people requesting information and advice.

Users have been urged to learn more about these efforts, as well as how to submit potential myths, hoaxes, and rumors to fact-checking organizations, on WhatsApp's Coronavirus Information Hub.