WhatsApp is trying to stem the rapid spread of coronavirus misinformation by placing new limits on the number of times a forwarded message can be shared simultaneously.
A message received by a person on the Facebook (FB)-owned platform that has already been forwarded five times can now only be passed on to one chat at a time.
The new limits are WhatsApp’s strictest yet.
WhatsApp, like other text messaging platforms, has been used in recent months to spread messages that often contain a mixture of claims about the virus, some accurate and some that have been debunked by medical experts. The problem is now so acute that world leaders are urging people to stop sharing unverified information using the app.
Experts welcomed the tighter limit announced on Tuesday but said it still doesn’t go far enough.
The platform is also working on a new feature that would allow users to take a message they’ve received and quickly search the web to check its content. In screenshots shared with TechCrunch last month, a magnifying glass appears next to a message, which would take the user to a related Google search.
A WhatsApp spokesperson told CNN Business that feature is still being tested.
