WhatsApp is changing its rules about forwarding messages - here's why
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WhatsApp has introduced stricter limits on the number of times a message can be simultaneously forwarded on to other users.
The Facebook-owned chat app has announced users will now only be able to pass on a frequently-forwarded message to one chat at a time.
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The app registers when a message has been sent in a forwarding chain of more than five chats.
If a user receives a forwarded message that has passed this threshold, that user will then only be able to forward this message on to one chat at a time.
Why has Whatsapp introduced the limits?
The decision aims to slow the spread of the most sensationalist content shared on the platform, in particular misinformation about coronavirus.
One such viral false report that quickly spread through the messaging app was the news that coronavirus was linked to 5G.
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Hide AdIn the past week, more than 20 phone masts have been vandalised as a result of the conspiracy theory.
In a blogpost about the new limit, a WhatsApp spokesperson wrote, “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.