WhatsApp Tests New ‘Forwarded Message’ Features to Check Fake News

The features are available only for WhatsApp beta. It is not known when these will make it to the mainstream app.

The popular messaging platform, owned by Facebook, has added multiple new features.

(Photo: iStock)

Last year, as part of its efforts to curb fake news, Facebook-owned WhatsApp messenger introduced a 'forwarded' label to non-original text messages that have been forwarded to users.

Now, WhatsApp is said to be working on two new similar features, as spotted by WABetaInfo. These are features that identify messages as "frequently forwarded" and another "forwarded info" feature that gives you more information about a forwarded message.

These features, however, are available only for WhatsApp beta users. It is not known when these will make it to the mainstream WhatsApp app.

Forwarded Info

This feature allows the user to know exactly how many times the message has been forwarded. The information, however, is available only for sent messages. For checking the same on received messages, one can simply forward the message to someone.

Frequently Forwarded

In frequently forwarded messages, a label, like the forwarded messages label will show "frequently forwarded" for a message that has been forwarded more than four times.

This will let users identify how popular a message is on the messaging platform.

(With inputs from WABetaInfo)