The move has come after several fake messages were being exchanged about child lifters across the nation, which led to lynching of 29 people.
Now to fix the issue, the messaging app will come up with a new feature. This was released with an advertisement which read “together we can curb the issue of fake news”.
- In the ad Whatsapp has cautioned to cross check any piece of information, that one may come across.
- To carefully examine any picture shared
- Question any piece of information which is disturbing you
- Stay away from information which looks different
- Look for the link of the message
- Think before forwarding the message
- Usually false news spread
This comes after the Centre had issued a warning to the instant messaging app 'Whatsapp'. In an official note from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, it was mentioned that the abuse of platform like WhatsApp for repeated circulation of such provocative content is of deep concern to the Government of India.
The Whatsapp management was instructed to take remedial measures to immediately contain the proliferation of the fake messages on the platform.
Taking a note of the incidents of violence as well as the circulation of provocative rumours being spread on the platforms, the ministry has said that Whatsapp cannot evade accountability and responsibility.