WhatsApp Tests 'Forwarding Limit' Feature to Curb Fake News in India

WhatsApp has suggested that it will limit the number of times a message can be forwarded per day after the Indian government condemned the social media giant for its inability to curb fake news. India is WhatsApp’s biggest market with around 250 million registered users.

New Delhi (Sputnik): WhatsApp said in a blog post on Friday that it was testing a new feature to limit the spread of spam and misinformation on the platform. The forwarding limit will apply to all messages, videos and photos shared throughout India.

READ MORE: One Fake Video, 29 Murders: Indian Gov't Springs Into Action

As a result, users will be limited to forwarding a media file up to five times per day from the same account.

According to the @WhatsApp "In India, people forward more messages, photos & videos than anywhere else in the world". 🙈 pic.twitter.com/PQIDcft6id

— Amit Panchal (@AmitHPanchal) July 20, 2018

WhatsApp has been facing scrutiny from the Indian government after multiple incidents of mob lynching were reported from different parts of the country following the spread of allegedly fake videos and rumors about child kidnappers on the prowl. The Indian government sent a warning letter to the company asking it to restrain the use of its technology for rumor-mongering.

WhatsApp is dramatically cutting message forwarding after viral fake news led to lynchings https://t.co/uyyXklMMMD pic.twitter.com/OgzxhQ4UIN

— Hiren Mavani (@hiren_mavani_) July 20, 2018

WhatsApp in its reply last month to the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had assured that it would take steps to avoid the spread of rumors.