WhatsApp has come up with a new feature that will let the users search the web when they receive a forwarded message flagged by the app.
Now, when a message is forwarded on WhatsApp, a magnifying glass will appear right next to the message from now on. If the user taps on this magnifying glass, they will end up uploading that message on Google, and the search giant will in turn provide the user with any verification or information related to the content of that message.
As per WhatsApp, this new feature will provide users with an efficient way to find news results and other sources of information. This is also a very important step towards curbing the spread of propaganda causing, misinforming messages that are forwarded so keenly within WhatsApp groups and chats.
Since the user will upload the message directly on the web, WhatsApp will not know anything about the message. So, this is how the end-to-end encryption will come into effective play and this is how the privacy of users can be preserved.
WhatsApp had started taking steps in this direction back in 2018 when the forwarded messages started getting flagged or labeled. All the forwarded messages were labeled so that the users could get a chance to determine the usefulness of those messages, delete them on the spot if they were bogus, or from untrustworthy sources, and it was an effort to curb the spread of misinformation.
In 2020, WhatsApp further implemented some restrictions, preventing the users from sharing frequently forwarded messages to more than one chat at a time.
However, it seems that WhatsApp was still not satisfied with the way these viral forwarded messages often influence people and create an impact on the real and digital lives of their users. Especially with the predicament of the coronavirus pandemic, messages containing bogus remedies and falsified information were circulated everywhere, creating a lot of chaos and wreaking havoc on an already distraught world.
Therefore, in an effort to stop the spread of misinformation, WhatsApp has now brought this new feature through which the users will be able to verify the claims and authenticity of any forwarded message by doing a quick Google search on their own.
This new feature is now available in Ireland, Brazil, Italy, Spain, UK, and the US for iOS, Android, and WhatsApp Web.
This feature was earlier spotted in the beta test updates along with several other features, and it is nice to know that it has finally reached the stable channels. Hopefully, it will soon be available for the rest of the world too, so that everyone can benefit from this much needed and highly anticipated feature.
Read next: WhatsApp is testing 138 unique emojis for the upcoming version for Android
Now, when a message is forwarded on WhatsApp, a magnifying glass will appear right next to the message from now on. If the user taps on this magnifying glass, they will end up uploading that message on Google, and the search giant will in turn provide the user with any verification or information related to the content of that message.
As per WhatsApp, this new feature will provide users with an efficient way to find news results and other sources of information. This is also a very important step towards curbing the spread of propaganda causing, misinforming messages that are forwarded so keenly within WhatsApp groups and chats.
Since the user will upload the message directly on the web, WhatsApp will not know anything about the message. So, this is how the end-to-end encryption will come into effective play and this is how the privacy of users can be preserved.
WhatsApp had started taking steps in this direction back in 2018 when the forwarded messages started getting flagged or labeled. All the forwarded messages were labeled so that the users could get a chance to determine the usefulness of those messages, delete them on the spot if they were bogus, or from untrustworthy sources, and it was an effort to curb the spread of misinformation.
In 2020, WhatsApp further implemented some restrictions, preventing the users from sharing frequently forwarded messages to more than one chat at a time.
However, it seems that WhatsApp was still not satisfied with the way these viral forwarded messages often influence people and create an impact on the real and digital lives of their users. Especially with the predicament of the coronavirus pandemic, messages containing bogus remedies and falsified information were circulated everywhere, creating a lot of chaos and wreaking havoc on an already distraught world.
Therefore, in an effort to stop the spread of misinformation, WhatsApp has now brought this new feature through which the users will be able to verify the claims and authenticity of any forwarded message by doing a quick Google search on their own.
This new feature is now available in Ireland, Brazil, Italy, Spain, UK, and the US for iOS, Android, and WhatsApp Web.
This feature was earlier spotted in the beta test updates along with several other features, and it is nice to know that it has finally reached the stable channels. Hopefully, it will soon be available for the rest of the world too, so that everyone can benefit from this much needed and highly anticipated feature.
Read next: WhatsApp is testing 138 unique emojis for the upcoming version for Android
