WhatsApp now indicates messages that have been forwarded

Since Monday, users who downloaded the latest version of WhatsApp may have observed the appearance of a new symbol at the head of some of their messages (text, image, voice or video recording) received.

A "transferred" tag, which aims to warn users of the origin of a message. The instant messaging application explains in a blog post wanting to enhance the security of its users, and invites them to " cautiously handle the messages transferred before transferring them in turn ".

Impossible for the user to miss the indication" transferred ", placed at the top of the message – Axelle Bouschon

The implementation of this new feature comes a few days after the sharing of false information on WhatsApp in India that led to the lynching of innocent people.

Rumors of a gang of kidnappers in action in the state of Bombay, sent through the courier application, the killing of five men by the inhabitants of a village. And this lynching, based on mere suspicion, is not an isolated case in the country. Several attacks of this type have been observed over the last few weeks

Fighting the dissemination of false information

WhatsApp has more than 200 million users in India. In this country where a population mud only discovers new technologies, false information can sometimes spread like wildfire.

To cope with this problem, Facebook, owner of WhatsApp, has already bought several pages of advertisements in Indian headlines to warn of the dangers of spreading false information

The social network had already carried out similar advertising campaigns in the past, but this is the first time that they have been aimed at specifically for the use of WhatsApp messaging

With the introduction of this new indicator, which users will not be able to disable, WhatsApp hopes to strengthen the fight against the propagation of false information. However, there is always the option of copying / pasting a message rather than transferring it to hide its source.