WhatsApp limits message forwarding to "one chat at a time"
We saw that one coming! After Facebook limited forwarding in Messenger to 5 chats at a time to combat misinformation, now WhatsApp is doing the same thing, only even more strictly. The popular service announced in a post on its official blog that it will allow users to forward content to only one chat at a time.
WhatsApp introduced the first limit to forwarding at the beginning of 2019, when the company rolled out a 5-chat forwarding limit globally after tests and feedback from users. The decision to further limit this feature will have an impact on all viral messages, not just the ones related to COVID-19. The previous restriction from 2019 resulted in a 25% drop in message forwarding globally, and now we can expect an even more significant decrease.
"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 to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversations."
WhatsApp introduced the first limit to forwarding at the beginning of 2019, when the company rolled out a 5-chat forwarding limit globally after tests and feedback from users. The decision to further limit this feature will have an impact on all viral messages, not just the ones related to COVID-19. The previous restriction from 2019 resulted in a 25% drop in message forwarding globally, and now we can expect an even more significant decrease.
However, limiting the spread of fake news, like the one tying 5G networks to COVID-19, will allow people to access more reliable information, and that can help keep them safe. WhatsApp already launched an information hub featuring the World Health Organization's chatbot to answer questions about the pandemic.
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Things that are NOT allowed: