Table of contents:
- WhatsApp helps you check if it's a hoax
- When will the function to check for hoaxes be available in WhatsApp?
Hoaxes have been with us forever. But in the age of social networks and in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, their effectiveness has increased They are everywhere and WhatsApp has become a broadcaster of magnitude. Not surprisingly, there are many users who have this messaging service installed on their mobile and use it daily to communicate with their loved ones.
Hence, in recent times, WhatsApp owners have had to perform numerous tests to curb fraudulent information.Just as there are web pages such as Maldita.es or Newtral in which the falsehood or veracity of some news can be verified, now WhatsApp will also have a tool to carry out this verification automatically.
But what kind of system are we talking about? What will the new tool be like that will allow us to verify if information is or is not a hoax?
WhatsApp helps you check if it's a hoax
From now on, and as soon as WhatsApp permanently implements this feature, users will see a magnifying glass next to messages that have been forwarded. This will be very useful to check if the information in question is false, carrying out a simple search on the web to see if it has been published on any site that it is a hoax or false news
And it is precisely on this premise that WhatsApp is set to question certain information when it is being shared indiscriminately. Thus, when a WhatsApp message has been shared more than five times in a chain, the messages are marked with a double arrow and with the Forwarded label at the bottom. superior.
However, and taking into account that WhatsApp applies end-to-end encryption to ensure the safety of users, you may find it difficult to locate Specific information about the hoax in question If it is a hoax for real. In any case, what WhatsApp wanted to do is make it easy for us, so that, at least, we are able to open our eyes and begin to cultivate a critical spirit.
When will the function to check for hoaxes be available in WhatsApp?
The new feature has already been rolled out for users in a number of countries. Thus, the first to test this tool against hoaxes will be Brazil, Italy, Ireland, Mexico, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States One of the countries in which It will not yet be available, despite the fact that the service has a whopping 400 million users in India. We hope you can get it up and running soon.
To have this prevention function on your WhatsApp, we recommend you update to the latest version available Whether you use the official version or the beta. In any case, this system should be operational and warn you as soon as false news appears in any of your individual or group chats. What you will see is a magnifying glass, right next to the message.
When you click on the magnifying glass, a menu will open that will ask you: “Do you want to search for this on the web? The message will be sent to Google”. From there you will have to give permission and a search will be activated. However, if you do not find what you are looking for, you always have the option of consulting other pages where you can verify if the information is false or not. Search for the keyword of the news and you will find direct references to the hoax, if indeed it is.
