New Delhi: WhatsApp will take more measures to limit viral content on the country’s most popular messaging app and is committed to keeping users safe, its new India head Abhijit Bose said Wednesday.
Bose, who is the first top-level executive to be hired for the country that accounts for the lion’s share of its global user base, said he believed private messaging is fundamental to safety and he would work with all stakeholders in India for the common safety goal.
WhatsApp has been under intense pressure from the government to devise ways to identify message originators to trace the origin of fake messages circulated on its platform, especially ahead of general elections slated to begin next month. Last year, fake news circulated on WhatsApp incited mob fury, leading to the lynching of over a dozen people across India.
“One of the questions we often get asked is what role technology can play to ensure the safety of all of us who live in India,” he wrote in an e-mail message to media houses. “We strongly believe that private messaging is fundamental to safety and we are pleased that the recent changes we have made to limit viral content and educate users is having an impact. This work is never done — there is more that we can and will do.”
The government has, on several occasions, warned social media companies that they can’t evade responsibility if their platforms are used to spread false information.
WhatsApp has taken a number of steps over the last many months, including the appointment of a US-based grievance officer for India and introducing a ‘forwarded’ label to clarify when a text had not originated from the sender.
It also attempted to slow down forwarding of messages by limiting the number of contacts to whom a message could be sent – to five at a time.
WhatsApp is also conducting research with academics and other experts to help understand the challenge of misinformation and improve efforts over time. It has published ads in various newspapers and conducted road-shows, radio, and television campaigns, outlining steps to spot fake news.
PTI