With the latest update, version 2.19.20, WhatsApp has, among other things, increased the security of the messenger. In addition to the newly introduced screen lock, the forwarding function has also been revised.
Just like Instagram, Messenger is part of the Facebook empire and has been struggling with the spread of fake news for some time. The Facebook subsidiary's forwarding function has now been revised, thus limiting the spread of rumors and false information.
Number of recipients reduced – to the annoyance of many
This was made possible by reducing the number of recipients for forwarding messages. Previously, WhatsApp users could forward messages to up to 20 people at once - very useful when distributing funny pictures and videos. Now the number has been reduced to a maximum of five users - to the annoyance of many users.
The innovation is not unknown
Facebook implemented this restriction in India in 2018. There, various fake news stories led to violent riots - including murder. It remains to be seen whether the WhatsApp parent company's strategy will work. Due to end-to-end encryption, the distribution of such messages cannot be traced - according to the company.
WhatsApp also has the screen lock introduced – from now on it is possible to unlock the app using Touch ID or Face ID.
