WhatsApp to introduce disappearing messages and a fact checking option

• WhatsApp is expected to soon introduce disappearing messages that will allow users to send self-destructing messages.
• A ‘Search message on web’ feature will help users in fact checking messages.
• These features are expected to be added in the coming days.

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps out there with over two billion monthly active users. The app regularly receives updates that bring new features and the app is currently working on adding some interesting features.

As per a report by WABetaInfo, WhatsApp is working on adding disappearing messages like Snapchat on its platform. To combat fake news, the app is also working on search messages on the web feature that will help with fact checking.

Disappearing messages

Disappearing messages or ‘Delete Messages’ feature has been spotted in the 2.20.83 version of WhatsApp. Earlier, it was expected that this feature would be available only for groups. However, the new update suggests that it will be available for private chats as well.

This feature will allow users to send self-destructing messages that will be automatically deleted after a specified time. Once the user turns on the feature, he will be able to choose when the messages are to be deleted from the following options – 1 hour, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 1 year.

When this feature is enabled, a clock icon will appear in the text bubble.

Search message on web

This feature is aimed at detecting fake news and will help users in fact checking a message. When a user receives a message that has the ‘forwarded’ tag, a search icon will also be shown next to the message.

When the user clicks on the search icon, they will get a message asking ‘Would you like to search this message on the web? This will upload the message to Google’.

This will help control the spread of fake news on WhatsApp. There have been reports of fake news about Coronavirus being shared on WhatsApp over the past few days.

See also:

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