Whatsapp will limit forwarded messages to five

NEWDELHI: Instant messaging service Whatsapp plans to limit the use of forwarded messages to five individuals or groups in a bid to curb the spread of misinformation and fake news in one of its largest markets. The number is significantly lower than the limit of 20 for users elsewhere.

“Today, we’re launching a test to limit forwarding on Whatsapp. In India — where people forward more messages, photos, and videos, than any other country in the world — we’ll also test a lower limit of 5 chats at once and we’ll remove the quick forward button next to media messages,” the company said in an email on Friday morning.

On July 11, Whatsapp launched a new label to identify forwarded messages. The firm also plans to create a system for preventing the spread of fake news and provocative texts in consultation with academic experts and law-enforcement agents, it said in an earlier statement.

Forwarded messages on Whatsapp have incited mob-fury, triggering multiple cases of lynching across the country.

There are more than 230 mil-

lion monthly active Whatsapp users in India. More than 1.5 billion people across the world use the messaging app.

“We believe that these changes — which we’ll continue to evaluate — will help keep Whatsapp the way it was designed to be: a private messaging app,” Facebook, which owns Whatsapp added.