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WhatsApp’s limit on message forwarding 'right step' but may hinder urgent appeals

SINGAPORE — Messaging platform WhatsApp’s move to limit the number of times a user can forward a message serves as a nudge to curb undesirable behaviour, but some Singaporeans see it as a short-term measure in the fight against fake news.

The limit of five forwarded messages on WhatsApp was first introduced in India, after the spread of rumours on social media led to killings and lynching attempts.

The limit of five forwarded messages on WhatsApp was first introduced in India, after the spread of rumours on social media led to killings and lynching attempts.

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SINGAPORE — Messaging platform WhatsApp’s move to limit the number of times a user can forward a message serves as a nudge to curb undesirable behaviour, but some Singaporeans see it as a short-term measure in the fight against fake news.

The messaging application, owned by Facebook, said that it will roll out the change this week. It will be available when users update their app, a spokesperson told TODAY.

“All users on the latest versions of WhatsApp can now forward to only five chats at once, which include individuals and groups. Based on our data, 90 per cent of messages on WhatsApp are one-to-one conversations,” the spokesperson said.

Before this new move, a WhatsApp user could forward a message to 20 individuals or groups.

During its test, the app saw a 25 per cent reduction in forwarded content globally, the spokesperson said. “We believe the decision to limit to five is a reasonable amount for users to connect with friends and family, while preventing abuse,” he said.

The restriction is believed to be part of efforts to fight the spread of fake and misleading information on its platform.

This limit of five was first introduced in India, after the spread of rumours on social media led to killings and lynching attempts.

Singapore's Member of Parliament Cedric Foo said that social media companies have the responsibility to regulate information, yet they “don’t do it as well” as the mainstream media.

“However, they do recognise that they play a role to filter (misinformation),” said Mr Foo, chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information.

Sending misinformation to “20 recipients or five recipients is still (spreading) fake news”, he noted.

Dr Mark Cenite, associate chair of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information at Nanyang Technological University, said that limiting the number of recipients of a forwarded message can be considered a nudge to discourage people from undesirable behaviour.

Despite its limitations, the measure is “a step in the right direction” in curbing the spread of misinformation, he added.

Some users here were upset by the change and said that the ability to forward messages to more people is useful in certain circumstances.

Banking analyst Lim Si Yi, 23, said that the change could be counter-productive in “situations like finding a lost pet or a missing elderly family member”.

“This is merely a short-term measure against the spread of misinformation,” she said.

Avid forwarders of messages such as Mr William Goh, 83, said that it would cause great inconvenience.

Mr Goh, a volunteer instructor of an exercise programme in Pasir Ris, said that he forwards health-related information such as nutrition articles and videos of simple exercise routines to his friends and students.

“It (health-related information) is good for everybody. I want everyone to be healthy,” he said.

Retiree Chun Kim Sway, however, said that the change would have minimal impact on him.

He occasionally forwards messages that he deems “important”, such as advisories on overseas travel or precautions to take against con artists.

“I only send them to my family, so it doesn’t really matter to me,” the 69-year-old said. His sentiments were echoed by Madam Alicia Wang, 53, who is self-employed.

WhatsApp is not the only platform that is taking action to curb misinformation. Last year, Chinese messaging and social media app WeChat pulled off a campaign where it produced 3,994 articles to debunk fake news, its operator Tencent said.

The challenge is that false information spread in closed groups on WhatsApp cannot be openly refuted, unlike social media, said Singapore University of Technology and Design Professor Lim Sun Sun.

“The multiplier effect of rumours spread through and by such groups is significant and must be addressed,” Professor Lim, the head of Humanities, Arts and Social Science at the university.

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