WhatsApp testing two new features for 'forwarded' messages to curb fake news: Report

WhatsApp has been on the receiving end for allowing the spread of fake news through its platform. After the central government’s orders to find a solution for curbing down fake news and rumours, the company is said to be testing two new features for ‘forwarded’ messages.

According to a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp would roll out two new features that would assist users in knowing the number of times a message was forwarded. The new features are reportedly called ‘Forwarding Info”, and “Frequently Forwarded”. The features were spotted in the app’s beta version 2.19.80 of Google Play Beta Program.

The ‘Forwarding info’ would inform users about the number of times a message has been forwarded previously. When enabled, this feature would be available in the ‘message info’ section of the app.

Source: WABetaInfo

The website reports that this feature can only be used for messages that have been sent by the user. In case a user wants to know the number of times a received message has been forwarded, they need to forward the message and then check the number in ‘Message Info’.

Messages that have been forwarded more than four times would be highlighted as ‘Frequently Forwarded’. In such a case, the message bubble would have a different label above the message as shown below:

Source: WABetaInfo

The company would be adding these features soon to inform users that the message(s) is popular on WhatsApp and has been forwarded many times. The report also stated that the ‘Forwarding info’ would not be available for messages that have been ‘Frequently forwarded’, which is five times or more.

Currently, the features are being tested and there is no final release date mentioned. However, they are expected to be released in the upcoming updates. The company in July 2018 had restricted users from forwarding a message to more than five users at a time to curb fake news.