Facebook is home to a large number of people globally and has been making efforts to reduce misinformation on the site for quite a long time now. And now that its messaging platforms have become popular among the masses, there is no shortage of false information regulating them.
To curb the spread of fake information on WhatsApp and Messenger amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Facebook is testing some new tools.
Reportedly, Facebook might launch a new feature that will allow users on WhatsApp to look for more information on a message through a Google search prompt in-stream.
This way, users can detect false information by comparing it with information from reliable reports on Google.
This new option comes after WhatsApp introduced a WHO chatbot that allows users to access official information. WhatsApp also has a COVID-19 information hub that gives users updated information regarding the virus.
Earlier Mark Zuckerberg, had noted that there has been an increase in traffic on both WhatsApp and Messenger amid the pandemic.
Apart from WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger has seen a rise in misinformation, and to tackle this Facebook is seeking to put a limit on how many group chats you can forward a message to. This helps in limiting the spread of false reports. This measure has been fruitful for WhatsApp and introducing it to Facebook can yield beneficial results as well.
The impact of false information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic can be harmful, with people giving advice that involves "walking out to disinfect oneself" or suggesting that "washing hands is only propaganda by soap companies."
It is important that people get accurate and timely information so that they can take better precautions and restrict the spread of the deadly virus.
It is important that Facebook is making efforts regarding this matter and limiting the influence of fake information wherever it is possible.
