Close
Search
Menu Menu
[gtranslate]

WhatsApp combat the spread of COVID-19 misinformation

By
London, UK
0 comments
0 comments

WhatsApp is looking to stem the ‘dissemination of fake news’ by imposing limits on forwarded messages.

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world, with upwards of 1.5 billion recorded users across its chat and video call features. 

A large part of the appeal comes from WhatsApp’s privacy. Unlike Twitter, WhatsApp is an encrypted hub for people to speak freely without the social media megaphone opening comments up for public scrutiny. The danger with this freedom is that people can speak a little too flippantly sometimes, and as Edward Bulwer-Lytton once stated, the pen can be mightier than the sword. 

The dissemination of alarmist falsehoods can be dangerous at any time, but in the midst of a global pandemic the effects are magnified tenfold. With the Covid-19 outbreak continuing to keep large portions of the planet under lockdown, and with no known treatment or vaccine, people are scrabbling for what information they can get. And that’s cause for concern.

The likelihood is you’ve probably seen these kinds of messages yourself. I certainly have. Bogus government conspiracies are linking Covid-19 to the introduction of 5G technologies with no scientific basis. And the messages are spreading like wildfire. The hysteria has even led to telecom masts being vandalised all across the UK – most of which don’t even have 5G equipment installed. 

WhatsApp restricts message forwarding to 5 times for all users ...

WhatsApp already has something of a rap sheet with this sort of thing. In 2018, analysts suggested misinformation on the platform poisoned the presidential election in Brazil. Right-wing propaganda was rampant across the nation’s 120 million users, and 42% of the viral material was found to be false by fact-checkers. The previous lack of end-to-end encryption has also been linked to mob violence in India. 

With the heightened scrutiny of private messaging apps and their efforts to combat hoax content surrounding the virus, WhatsApp are keen to set the example. Today, a company statement revealed that the platform will now place limitations on ‘highly forwarded’ messages. Content that has been forwarded to a chain of five or more people will be flagged and once this happens users will only be able to forward that message on to one other user. 

Having seemingly learned from its mistakes, WhatsApp is desperate to come through the Covid-19 pandemic with a squeaky-clean reputation. The platform has donated $1 million to the International Fact-Checking Network to keep track of burgeoning hoax content, and has promoted a bot made by the World Health Organisation to provide users with legitimate information about the virus (vetted by healthcare professionals). 

Tech Editor London, UK

I’m Jamie (He/Him), the Editor in Chief at Thred. Keeping up with gaming and revolutionary technology is my forte, but when away from my keyboard, you’ll probably find me wrapped around a large Tango ice blast at the latest mediocre horror flick. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

Popular

Keep up with thred by signing up to our planet-positive newsletter!

More from thred.

Does the human brain have a microbiome?
Credit: Pexels
Science

Does the human brain have a microbiome?

Though it’s long been assumed that bacteria can’t survive in the human brain, neuroscientists have recently been surprised to discover that it may harbour all sorts of micro-organisms. In recent years, gut health has been all the rage. This is because our understanding of the function and importance of the microbiome that lives in our intestines has improved, particularly in relation to maintaining the immune system. A microbiome is a community...

By London, UK
Apple sued by Democratic Republic of Congo for illegal mining
Credit: Al Jazeera
News

Apple sued by Democratic Republic of Congo for illegal mining

The DRC’s lawyers have stated that tech giant Apple has knowingly sourced minerals from conflict zones in East Africa while publicly painting itself as sustainable and ethical.   The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed lawsuits in both Paris and Brussels claiming that tech-giant Apple purchased illegal ‘blood minerals’ from its conflict zones for use in its product lines. Filed against the Apple European subsidiaries, the lawsuit states that the company...

By London, UK
Tech companies exploring nuclear energy to power AI
Credit: Thred
Technology

Tech companies exploring nuclear energy to power AI

Leading tech companies are exploring the potential of nuclear energy as a sustainable and reliable power source to meet the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence. In recent years, since OpenAI dropped ChatGPT, the world has seen a surge in all things AI. From catalyzing a plethora of research to predictive analysis in data security, the presence of AI in our daily lives has become a norm. Powering this increase in...

By Kuala Lumpur, Indonesia
Trans youth are turning to TikTok for support
Credit: Thred
Social

Trans youth are turning to TikTok for support

In uncertain political times, America’s young LGBTQIA+ community are using social media as a vital crowdfunding tool.  The day after the 2024 US presidential election, thousands of trans youth across the country woke to a sense of a dread. Iris, a 20-year-old Black trans woman living in Texas, was one of them. ‘This changes everything’ she told Wired. ‘If I stay in the state now that going to...

By Brighton, UK
Accessibility