WhatsApp Viral Messages ‘drop 70%’ to Control Misinformation

There has been a drop of 70% in “highly forwarded” messages on WhatsApp. These are the messages that tend to spread misinformation regarding coronavirus.

As per the World Health Organization, the spread of fake new about the coronavirus pandemic is an “info-demic”.

A couple of weeks ago, WhatsApp stopped sending messages to individual users 5 times or more than being posted to more than one chat group at a time.

Must read: WhatsApp Puts New Limits on Forwarding Messages amid Coronavirus Outbreak

However as per the experts it has to do more in the battle against the spread of misinformation.

A WhatsApp spokesman said, “WhatsApp is committed to doing our part in tackling viral messages.”

Adding, “This change is helping keep WhatsApp a place for personal and private conversations.”

WhatsApp has been right at the center in spreading of misinformation regarding COVID-19. People started using private group chat messages to forward lists of medical advice, or/and speculation regarding government plans.

It is difficult to monitor WhatsApp and other private messenger apps in comparison to Facebook, Twitter or YouTube that rely on rely on others flagging concerning messages. But WhatsApp has now controlled its spread of misinformation on coronavirus.

Center for Countering Digital Hate chief executive Imran Ahmed told BBC News said, “More needs to be done by social media giants such as WhatsApp. There is still a vast amount of misinformation on the platform.

Adding, “The 70% figure seems to mask a lot of complexity on a topic where the nuance is critically important. What metric are they using for that? In a time when people cannot meet face-to-face, the misinformation crisis is being entirely driven by social-media spread.”