In order to slow the spread of false information about the coronavirus, WhatsApp is limiting the number of times chat messages can be forwarded

From now on, frequently forwarded messages (messages that have been forwarded more than 5 times, indicated by the double arrow icon) can only be forwarded to one contact or group chat at a time If you wish to forward to multiple contacts, you must do so manually

"We know that many of our users forward useful information, funny videos, memes, reflections and prayers that they find meaningful," WhatsApp said in a blog post

"But we're told that the volume of transfers is growing significantly, overwhelming users and potentially contributing to the spread of misinformation

WhatsApp may not be used much in the US, but it is virtually a utility in many parts of the world Tens of millions of people use WhatsApp daily for domestic and international calls, social networking, and photo and video sharing It's functional, easy to use, and completely free [Unfortunately, WhatsApp has also become a powerful vehicle for spreading false rumors and dubious information; WhatsApp's group chat feature has been cited as a factor in the spread of anti-Islamic violence in Sri Lanka in 2018 and mass lynchings in India Dozens of people were killed in India

As a response, WhatsApp restricted message transfers to only five chats at a time in India in July 2018, and six months later extended that restriction worldwide

Currently, people are burning cell phone towers in the UK and Ireland due to online rumors that 5G signals cause coronavirus infections WhatsApp is widely used in these countries

These rumors have spread across many social media platforms Facebook and YouTube have removed posts spreading this ridiculous idea, but WhatsApp cannot do the same because its end-to-end encryption makes it impossible to see the contents of individual posts

However, WhatsApp is committed to "providing people with accurate information" and encourages users to visit the WhatsApp Fact Check page and the WhatsApp Coronavirus Information Hub

WhatsApp says that in its first attempt to curb the spread of disinformation, message transfers dropped by 25%; WhatsApp is hoping for an even greater effect this time around