WhatsApp limits the transmission of messages to slow the spread of hoaxes and false news

MESSAGING SERVICE FACEBOOK WhatsApp suppresses the transmission of messages in order to slow the spread of hoaxes and false news.

The move follows a series of violent incidents in India, the largest WhatsApp market with over 200 million users, who were credited on fake social media posts.

The BBC reports an incident that saw a man killed and two others severely beaten after rumors of their efforts to kidnap children on WhatsApp. According to the report, 17 other Indian citizens have died in the past year in similar circumstances, with police saying rumors and fake videos have spread via WhatsApp.

While WhatsApp earlier this month rolled out a tag to identify messages that are not original and have been transmitted, the Indian government on Thursday asked WhatsApp for "more effective solutions" that can bring "accountability and ease the application of the law ".

In response, WhatsApp said that it is launching a "test" to limit the transfer.

Previously, users could transmit to more than 250 people at a time, but the limit has now been reduced to 20. In India, it will be limited to five, and a "fast forward" button next to the media messages will be deleted. [19659004"Nouslançonsuntestpourlimiterlatransmissionquis'appliqueraàtousceuxquiutilisentWhatsAppEnIndeoùlesgensenvoientplusdemessagesdephotosetdevidéosquen'importequelautrepaysdanslemondenoustesteronségalementunelimiteinférieuredecinq"Nouspensonsqueceschangements-quenouscontinueronsàévaluer-aiderontàgarderWhatsAppcommeilaétéconçupourêtre:uneapplicationdemessagerieprivée"

While the company blog n & # 39; has not commented on the recent incidents in India, a spokesman for WhatsApp told Recode that "We are horrified by the violence in India, and we have announced a number of different product changes to help solve these problems. "μ