NEW DELHI:will now globally limit message ‘forwards’ to five chats at a time, a practice it had introduced in India in July last year to crack down on spread of rumours and fake news through its platform.
In an update to its blog Monday, WhatsApp said the move will help keep ‘WhatsApp focused onwith close contacts’.
‘WhatsApp carefully evaluated this test and listened to user feedback over a six-month period. The forward limit significantly reducedaround the world,’ it said.
It added that ‘starting today, all users on the latest versions of WhatsApp can now forward to only five chats at once…’
The messaging platform – which counts India, Brazil and Indonesia among its major markets – said it will continue to listen to user feedback on their experience, and ‘over time, look for new ways of addressing viral content’.
From WhatsApp To YouTube, Tech Updates That Will Impact Your Digital Life
Time For An Upgrade
Everyone knows about the big product launches and global news. However, there are a number of small but significant updates that slip under the radar. Here’s a round-up of some of the announcements that will possibly have an impact on your digital life.
Glass That Survives 15 Drops
Almost every smartphone user knows about Corning’s Gorilla Glass — chemically strengthened glass that is used for protection on the front and even on the rear of some phones. This is tough to do because this glass also has to be opti
cally perfect — any small imperfections will be visible.
Corning just announced the latest version called Gorilla Glass 6 which they claim can survive multiple drops without breaking. They also say it is twice as strong as Gorilla Glass 5 with enhanced scratch resistance to boot. It will not exactly be shatterproof but you can expect your smartphone to be able to withstand a few drops before the glass breaks. The glass is already in production so you can expect premium devices to get this added protection within the next few months.
(Image: corning.com)
Truecaller Informs, Blocks & Now Records Too
Call recording is one of the most requested features in a smartphone. Some smartphones have this feature built-in (which is ideal) and there are some paid apps that offer it (performance varies across devices). Truecaller has come to the rescue by adding call recording option to the latest update. Note that call recording is only available for Android phones. Tap on the profile icon on top left corner to access the menu and you will see the recording option. A floating button appears when the call is connected and a simple tap starts recording the conversation. Recordings are saved directly to your phone’s internal storage and not on the cloud. You can get free call recording for 14 days and after that you have to upgrade to a premium account to use it.
A WhatsApp spokesperson told PTI that during the test period, the company saw a 25 per cent reduction of forwarded messages being shared on WhatsApp.
‘We believe this is a reasonable number to reach close friends, while helping prevent abuse,’ the spokesperson added.
The move comes at a time when governments and regulators across the world are looking at effective ways to curb the spread of fake messages through digital platforms.
In India, the Facebook-owned company had faced flak from the government after a series of mob-lynching incidents, triggered by rumours circulating on WhatsApp, claimed lives.
Under pressure to stop rumours and fake news, WhatsApp had last year, restricted forwarding messages to five chats at once as well as removed the quick forward button for media messages in India – a market that has over 200 million WhatsApp users.
In fact, the Indian government – through proposed changes in IT rules – is seeking to make social media platforms more accountable by mandating them to introduce tools that can identify and disable ‘unlawful content’.
One of the amendments being mulled in the IT intermediary rules (meant for online and social media platforms) will require them to enable tracing out of such originators of information as needed by government agencies that are legally authorised.
WhatsApp, as part of its efforts, had also brought out full-page advertisements as well as television and radio campaigns offering tips to users on how to spot misinformation.
However, the company has so far, resisted the government’s demand for identifying message originators, arguing that such a move would undermine theand the private nature of the platform, creating potential for serious misuse.
WhatsApp Down? Try These Seven Apps To Stay Connected Instead
No WhatsApp, No Worries!
WhatsApp’s global outage is driving the users around the world crazy. These apps will ensure that you are always in sync with your friends.
Find My Friends
To find your friend (or family) is never a hassle when you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. The Find My Friends app lets you share your location with friends and vice-versa. If you don’t want to be followed, you can hide your location. It also lets you set up location-based alerts that can notify you when a friend arrives at the airport, or your friend arrives home safely after a late night out.
Available in iOS
(Image: www.itunes.apple.com)
SKOUT
Skout works on proximity and preferences, like a dating app, but for friends. Check it out if you are open to making new friends in a new place. You can get updates from nearby users, buy and send gifts for them, share photos or simply see who’s checking you out. The app also matches you with people you want to chat with, whether they are nearby or in a city you want to visit.
Available in Android, iOS
(Image: www.skout.com)
Glympse
If you are looking for a crossplatform, thirdparty location sharing service, then Glympse is your best option. It lets you share realtime location using GPS tracking with your friends, and comes with a ton of features. You can send a notifi cation called a ‘glympse’ via email, SMS, Facebook or Twitter to your friend(s). The app can also be integrated into Garmin’s Navigation software.
Available in Android, iOS
(Image: www.glympse.com)
Splitwise
We all love eating out with friends and exploring new restaurants. Splitwise takes the trouble out of sharing the expenses — with friends, with roommates, or anyone. It’s an impressive IOU manager, helping you and your friends keep all your debts straight and easily payable. You can add individual friends from your address book or set up a group.
Available in Android, iOS
(Image: www.splitwise.com)