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| India lynchings: WhatsApp sets new rules after mob killings | India lynchings: WhatsApp sets new rules after mob killings |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WhatsApp has said it will limit how many times messages can be forwarded in India, to curb the spread of false information on its platform. | |
| The announcement comes after a spate of mob lynchings were linked to messages that circulated on WhatsApp groups. | The announcement comes after a spate of mob lynchings were linked to messages that circulated on WhatsApp groups. |
| The government on Thursday reissued a warning to the company that it could face legal consequences if it remained a "mute spectator". | The government on Thursday reissued a warning to the company that it could face legal consequences if it remained a "mute spectator". |
| With more than 200 million users, India is WhatsApp's biggest market. | With more than 200 million users, India is WhatsApp's biggest market. |
| WhatsApp said its users in India "forward more messages, photos, and videos, than any other country in the world". | WhatsApp said its users in India "forward more messages, photos, and videos, than any other country in the world". |
| Groups on WhatsApp can have a maximum of 256 people. Many of the messages that are believed to have triggered violence were forwarded to multiple groups which had more than 100 members each. | Groups on WhatsApp can have a maximum of 256 people. Many of the messages that are believed to have triggered violence were forwarded to multiple groups which had more than 100 members each. |
| In a blog published on its website, the company announced that it was "launching a test to limit forwarding that will apply to everyone using WhatsApp". | In a blog published on its website, the company announced that it was "launching a test to limit forwarding that will apply to everyone using WhatsApp". |
| For Indian users, however, the forwarding option will be limited even further. A WhatsApp spokesperson for India told the BBC that this means a single person would be able to forward one message only five times. | For Indian users, however, the forwarding option will be limited even further. A WhatsApp spokesperson for India told the BBC that this means a single person would be able to forward one message only five times. |
| However, this does not stop other members from a group from forwarding the message to a further five chats of their own. | However, this does not stop other members from a group from forwarding the message to a further five chats of their own. |
| WhatsApp added that they hoped this measure would curb the frequency of messages being forwarded. | WhatsApp added that they hoped this measure would curb the frequency of messages being forwarded. |
| The company also said it would be removing the "quick forward button" next to messages containing pictures or video. | The company also said it would be removing the "quick forward button" next to messages containing pictures or video. |
| These changes come in the wake of a series of mob lynchings that have seen at least 18 people killed across India since April 2018. Media reports put the number of dead higher. | These changes come in the wake of a series of mob lynchings that have seen at least 18 people killed across India since April 2018. Media reports put the number of dead higher. |
| The violence has been blamed on rumours of child kidnappings, spread over WhatsApp, which have led people to attack strangers. | The violence has been blamed on rumours of child kidnappings, spread over WhatsApp, which have led people to attack strangers. |
| Police say it is proving hard to get people to believe that the messages are false. | Police say it is proving hard to get people to believe that the messages are false. |
| In a recent lynching in the north-eastern state of Tripura, the victim was a man employed by the local government to go around villages to dispel rumours being spread on social media. | In a recent lynching in the north-eastern state of Tripura, the victim was a man employed by the local government to go around villages to dispel rumours being spread on social media. |
| India's federal government had earlier warned WhatsApp, a Facebook-owned company, that it could not evade "accountability and responsibility" for the content its users were sharing. | India's federal government had earlier warned WhatsApp, a Facebook-owned company, that it could not evade "accountability and responsibility" for the content its users were sharing. |
| WhatsApp had responded by saying it was "horrified by these terrible acts of violence", and that the situation was a "challenge that requires government, civil society and technology companies to work together". | WhatsApp had responded by saying it was "horrified by these terrible acts of violence", and that the situation was a "challenge that requires government, civil society and technology companies to work together". |
| The messaging app is the single largest internet-based service available to people in India. It has tremendous reach, allowing messages to spread exponentially and enabling mobs to gather quickly. | The messaging app is the single largest internet-based service available to people in India. It has tremendous reach, allowing messages to spread exponentially and enabling mobs to gather quickly. |
| Earlier this month, the company outlined steps it was taking to help address the problem, which included enabling users to leave groups and block people more easily. | Earlier this month, the company outlined steps it was taking to help address the problem, which included enabling users to leave groups and block people more easily. |