WhatsApp is working on a new feature which is aimed at curbing the spread of misinformation and fake news. WhatsApp forwards are infamous for carrying wrong information and have the ability to spread widely without verification. A new feature which helps users cross-check forwarded messages on WhatsApp is in the works.
As spotted by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp's latest beta update comes with this feature that lets users search for 'Frequently Forwarded Messages' on the web. WhatsApp labels messages that have been frequently forwarded on top of the text. This is to indicate that the message may not be genuine since it has been forwarded multiple times.
The new WhatsApp feature shows a magnifying glass icon along with the forwarded message. Once you tap on the search icon WhatsApp will ask if you would like to search this on the web. The message text will be uploaded on the web to do a simple Google search.
This feature isn't available for WhatsApp public beta as yet. But WhatsApp has confirmed it is testing this feature and plans to roll it out in the future.
"We are working on new features to help empower users to find out more information about the messages they receive that have been forwarded many times. This featuring is currently in testing, and we look forward to rolling it out in the near future," a WhatsApp spokesperson said.
WhatsApp was working on a similar feature almost a year back where instead of text messages, the search tool was for images. It essentially searches for images on the web to see if they're fake or genuine. WhatsApp could enable the search tool for text messages and images as well.
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