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Editorial Technology.
The platform will test new tools to limit the spread of false information that, among other things, has fueled a wave of violence in India that has killed more than 24 people since April this year, according to The New York Times.
In recent days, WhatsApp has made several announcements on the changes and new features of the platform to try to block the way to false news and, in general, the rampant misinformation that circulates system
come after reports of how misinformation had prompted the killing of at least 24 people in India, after chains circulated about suspected kidnappers of children.
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The murders were perpetrated by angry mobs who apparently confused innocent people with the alleged kidnappers of minors and proceeded to apply justice with their own hand. According to the New York Times, the killings have occurred since the month of April this year.
Videos showing how kidnapper gangs were supposed to work were fabricated in Pakistan to raise awareness about City security. Someone has changed them so that they look like material from a real kidnapping, although the authorities have no idea who might be behind this manipulation.
The first tool introduced by WhatsApp is a small notification in the messages that have been transmitted. identifies them, precisely, as re-sent material. The logic behind this move is to try to establish what information comes from a primary source: what content is original and which one is not.
In one of the cases of mbad murders in India, the authorities claimed that Rejecting information circulating in the courier, warning villagers that it was not a credible issue. In the end, the governor of the region told the Times: "We can not compete with Whatsapp."
The second tool that WhatsApp begins to test is to limit the number of times that a message can be transmitted to try to contain the spread of fake messages, such as those that fueled violence in India.
Read also: Here's how the battle against false news on social networks
Overall, the test that will launch the platform quickly aims to establish a limit of 20 times for a message to be transmitted. In India, however, this restriction will be five conversations to which the content may be referred.
It should be noted that India is the largest market for WhatsApp, with about 250 million users. The company, owned by Facebook, said these changes are a test and can not be permanent.
"We believe that these changes, which we will continue to evaluate, will help keep WhatsApp as it was designed: a private messaging application," the company said in a statement.
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