WhatsApp forwarded label feature is the latest feature to have been rolled out by WhatsApp. While WhatsApp is a platform for communication, it is also used as a medium to spread unverified information from various sources. Obviously, this feature is to enable users to identify which messages they receive were forwarded by as is the sender.
Forwarded messages will be labeled with the ‘Forwarded’ tag on the top of the message box, indicating that the message hasn’t been written by the sender. The new WhatsApp feature, which is now rolling out for both Android and iOS users around the globe, comes as another move by the Facebook-owned company that can help limit the circulation of spam and fake news on its platform. A platform that has over 1.5 billion monthly active users worldwide
WhatsApp in a blog said
Starting today, WhatsApp will indicate which messages you receive have been forwarded to you. This extra context will help make one-on-one and group chats easier to follow. It also helps you determine if your friend or relative wrote the message they sent or if it originally came from someone else. To see this new forwarded label, you need to have the latest supported version of WhatsApp on your phone.
How To Get The WhatsApp Forwarded Label Feature
To see the WhatsApp Forwarded label, you need to have the latest WhatsApp version on your device. While the label sits on top of the forwarded message to indicate that it hasn’t been created afresh for you. However, this feature can not be disabled. This means that users who forward the messages won’t be able to remove the label from their side.
Now with the feature rolling out for Andriod and iOS users, will be available globally in the next few days. Though the feature indeed helps in the cases where a message is being forward using WhatsApp’s native message forwarding method, it does not stop users from copying and pasting the text then and forwarding it as a fresh message, ensuring no ‘Forwarded’ label is visible in that case.
WhatsApp’s Effort To Control The Spread Of Fake News
The Forwarded label feature is a big step forward in controlling the spread of fake news. Considering the ongoing debate over WhatsApp being a source for the circulation of misinformation, a big step indeed. The company had recently started taking help from local experts to fight misleading information.
The spread of misinformation on WhatsApp has already led to some serious cases in India. It also led to some killing of multiple people in many Indian cities. In the Aftermath, the IT Ministry asked WhatsApp to take necessary measures to curb the circulation of fake news through its platform. And the WhatsApp forwarded label feature was the reply.
