Security News > 2020 > April > WhatsApp Axes COVID-19 Mass Message Forwarding

In an effort to stem what it says is misinformation being spread on its platform, WhatsApp is limiting the number of recipients to which its users can forward certain messages about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, users of the Facebook-owned messaging app can only forward messages with double arrows - i.e., those that did not originate from a close contact - to one person rather than multiple WhatsApp contacts, according to a company post published Tuesday.

Such misinformation has been running rampant on social media, the company said, adding that it wants to maintain WhatsApp as a platform for private messages.

WhatsApp had already set limits two years ago on forwarded messages in order to "Constrain virality," the company said.

The limit, which WhatsApp first tested in India, restricted message forwarding to five users and also removed a "Quick forward" button that had accompanied media messages.

News URL

https://threatpost.com/whatsapp-covid-19-mass-message-forwarding/154563/