Whatsapp, Facebook Inc’s messaging app, has published an advertisement in major Indian media with tips on how to fight fake news. In its attempts to tackle spam and hoax messaging, the company invited the Indian government, civil society, and tech companies to work together against misinformation.
Among the tips listed in the ad, Whatsapp cautioned its users to double check information such as photos and videos, verify whether the news exists elsewhere online, the authenticity of the links received, and to be mindful of what content they share.
The messaging platform’s efforts to tackle fake news were triggered by recent beatings and deaths in India that allegedly happened as a result of fake messaging.
“Our first step is placing newspaper advertisements in English and Hindi and several other languages. We will build on these efforts,” a spokesperson for the company stated. Whatsapp is also introducing a new feature allowing users to distinguish typed from forwarded messages.
India is Whatsapp’s biggest market with approximately 200 million users.
