WhatsApp just updated its app to include a new feature which lets you know if a message was forwarded or written originally. Yes, this is true, since there will be now a specific message label on top of every message you just forward to one of your contacts, and it would simply say “Forwarded” with a little Forward sign as well to the right.
The feature has been rolled out because of concerns of so much misinformation been spreading around through spamming or unintentionally. The feature is rolling out for WhatsApp users on both iOS and Android worldwide and is a counter-measure for all those who just forward already forwarded texts to their contacts, without considering the authenticity of the source. WhatsApp has a plethora of users around the globe with nearly 1.5 billion monthly active users, therefore it is a major source of information for many, even if it is false news.
Things spread quickly on WhatsApp, and it was time that WhatsApp adopted such policy to let others know about the message’s originality.
According to WhatsApp which said in a statement, as it revealed the new information, “Starting today, WhatsApp will indicate which messages you receive have been forwarded to you.” The statement further stated that “This extra context will help make one-on-one and group chats easier to follow […] WhatsApp cares deeply about your safety. We encourage you to think before sharing messages that were forwarded.”
In case you still haven’t received the feature yet, then its likely that you haven’t updated your WhatsApp application. To do that just head over to Google PlayStore or Apple AppStore for your respective devices, to update your app to the latest version. Hopefully, you will be able to receive this feature then. If you still don’t then this means that the feature hasn’t rolled out to you yet, and you would have to wait for sometime for it to be available for you.
Bear in mind, that there is still a workaround for forwarding a message without sending a “Forwarded” label, and it doesn’t involve disabling this feature because WhatsApp doesn’t offer that. Instead, all it needs is a copy-paste from one chat to another and hitting send. In this, the WhatsApp is tricked into thinking that the message was original after all and therefore won’t send the “Forwarded” label.
Still, it is a great measure by WhatsApp and we should all appreciate its fight against spreading misinformation.