WhatsApp limits message sharing to tackle fake news

WhatsApp, like many other social platforms, has had their fair share of fake messages/spam messages. Facebook users have messages claiming to be from Mark Zuckerburg asking them to forward to 50 people. WhatsApp messages claim they have to forward the message or they will start getting charged for the WhatsApp service if they don’t. The problem is that many gullible people fall for these messages. WhatsApp is now Introducing a new message sharing limit to tackle this problem.

WhatsApp new 5 user limit

Now, In a bid to combat this type of viral content, WhatsApp has set a limit to all users. Soon, you will only be able to forward your selected message to 5 users at a time. WhatsApp announced this in a Press Release.

WhatsApp expanded:

All users on the latest version of WhatsApp can now only forward to five contacts at once, which will help keep WhatsApp focused on private messaging with close contacts.

Fake messages are nothing new. We’ve all seen them. You have to forward this to 7 people or else SOMETHING bad will happen. Some people have received fake job offers, free airline tickets, and stories that generally are designed to instigate panic. WhatsApp is used by billions of people and fake message can cause mental anguish and stress.

Any network the size of WhatsApp also needs to consider the effect the fake messages causes on their network Infrastructure. How many servers get additional load due to this increasing menice? Being able to forward to only 5 contacts, opposed to the current limit of 250, should help ease the strain.

Due to the action taken by WhatsApp you should notice less misinformation messages, but you will also receive less genuine Information and jokes and Memes.