Facebook Messenger is bringing a forwarding limit which will let users forward messages to only five people or groups at a time.
The feature was announced on WhatsApp first and now Facebook Messenger has started rolling out a similar feature.
Facebook Messenger is bringing a forwarding limit which will let users forward messages to only five people or groups at a time. The latest development has been targeted to reduce the spread of viral misinformation and stop the circulation of fake news through the messaging platform. Back in 2018, Facebook had introduced a similar forwarding limit to the WhatsApp platform in India and then expanded to global markets in January last year.
Moreover, back in April, WhatsApp had narrowed down the limit of frequently forwarded messages to only one chat at a single time. The messaging app also added new privacy features which include the feature to lock the app on iOS devices.
In Messenger, if you add more users to your forwarding list, the app will flash a notification stating “forwarding limit reached.”
A blog post by Jau Sullivan, Director of Product Management, Messenger Privacy and Safety states, “We believe controlling the spread of misinformation is critical as the global COVID-19 pandemic continues and we head toward major elections in the US, New Zealand and other countries. We’ve taken steps to provide people with greater transparency and accurate information. Our Coronavirus (COVID-19) Community Hub gives people access to up-to-date information and resources designed to help them stay safe. And our Voting Information Center and voter registration notifications ensure people know how to register to vote and encourage them to make their voices heard. We are introducing a forwarding limit on Messenger to help curb the efforts of those looking to cause chaos, sow uncertainty or inadvertently undermine accurate information.
We want Messenger to be a safe and trustworthy platform to connect with friends and family. Earlier this year we introduced features like safety notifications, two-factor authentication, and easier ways to block and report unwanted messages. This new feature provides yet another layer of protection by limiting the spread of viral misinformation or harmful content, and we believe it will help keep people safer online.”
The article is originally published at Times now news.