Search image feature to be introduced on WhatsApp to combat fake news

Whatsapp__introduce, search_image_feature

WhatsApp is undeniably one of the most used messaging platforms of our time with well over a billion users around the globe. However, like every other social media platform, it faces the issue of fake news and accounts. Lately, it has been having onslaughts of fake news spreading on the platform especially in India. This has resulted in violence and social unrest especially in India where the bulk of WhatsApp users are. Amongst other reasons like to steal information or defamation, fake news generated to manipulate people socially and politically have the most devastating effect. With India’s election coming up next month, WhatsApp is trying to control the fake news menace.

Read More:WhatsApp For iOS Goes Live With Touch ID and Face ID Authentication

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“This is available only on the Android beta version of WhatsApp for now”

To curb fake new, WhatsApp has taken steps like limiting how many people you can forward messages to at a time, providing more control for group admin and even going ahead to delete about 2 million fake accounts every month. The latest move by the messaging giant is the search image feature that allows you to export images directly from WhatsApp to Google with just a click. You will then be directed to a result page from the image search showing the same or similar pictures for comparison. This would give users the ability to check picture-based fake news. However, it is available only in the beta version. So if you’re running the Android beta version of WhatsApp you can check this out yourself.

SEE: How to Turn off Automatic Image and Video Downloads on Whatsapp

To do this, you will select the image and then click on ‘search image’. The image will be uploaded to Google and searched to check for similar images on the web. Also, you will now be able to open web links directly in your WhatsApp without having to open your web browser. The new in-app browsing will let you check links quickly without leaving the app. WhatsApp will also protect you from visiting malicious websites by warning you beforehand about them.

There is no known date for when these features will arrive on your regular WhatsApp but it will be soon considering the fake news battle it is fighting. All we can do is wait but if you can’t, WhatsApp beta is available on Play Store.

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