WhatsApp to limit forwarded messages

Messaging platform WhatsApp will soon limit the number of times a message can be forwarded.

This change is set to be rolled out in its latest updates and most users will be limited to forwarding a message 20 times.

However, in countries like India, users will be restricted to forwarding a message just five times due to the fact that a lot of hate is spread on the platform and several deaths have been reported as a result.

Last week, WhatsApp introduced another feature to curb the spread of viral misinformation by identifying the origin of the message.

Users can now see a ‘forwarded’ indicator on a message if it was not composed by the sender.

Being one of the most commonly used communicating platforms in Kenya, WhatsApp is widely used by people from all walks of life and it is common practice to forward content you find amusing, funny or educative.

At times, this content is malicious and may lead to far-reaching consequences if not handled carefully.

In May 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta signed into law a Computer and Cybercrimes Bill to fight the spread of false information.

Under the law, a person who intentionally publishes false, misleading or fictitious data or misinforms with intent that the data shall be considered or acted upon as authentic, with or without any financial gain, commits an offence and shall, on conviction, be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh5 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or to both.