Whatsapp Fights Viral Info With a New Feature Restriction

While the world is dealing with a global pandemic, the guys from Menlo Park, California are fighting their own battle with a “virus” – information going viral through highly forwarded WhatsApp messages.

Facebook’s WhatsApp has introduced a wall blocking users from excessively sharing their info. We are limited to sharing a message to a single person or group since April 7th and the “innovation” has already brought “highly forwarded messages” by a whopping 70%.

What’s All the Fuss About?

Among many other factors, the situation surrounding COVID-19 drastically escalated the number of fake news people may unknowingly spread. At the end of the day, spreading panic in our globally interconnected world is a matter of several clicks. Dealing with the fallout, though…

Facebook is simply concerned with our wellbeing. That’s all there is to it. Right?

Right?

Ok, here’s what the fuss is really about.

Please, don’t quote me on this one, but maybe – just maybe – the new regulation has something to do with the increasing dissatisfaction with the service from governments of several countries including India, the app’s largest market.

Your turn. What’s your take on the new restriction? Does the threat of disinformation overweight people’s right to share what they see fit?