WhatsApp limits users forwarding message in Indonesia
WhatsApp has limited the number of forwarded message in Indonesia, starting on 21 January 2019. This was announced right after a meeting between Rudiantara, the minister of communication and informatics and Victoria Grand, vice president public policy and communications at WhatsApp.
The main objective of this limitation is to curb the spreading of fake media and disinformation. Moreover, Indonesia will hold its national election in April this year, therefore political content is highly sensitive.
Facebook and its subsidiary WhatsApp have promised to get tougher on ‘fake news’ ahead of key elections in Asia. The new policies start in India, which goes to the polls in April and May – and is Facebook’s biggest national market outside the United States. The company announced that it is looking into doing the same in other Asian nations, such as Australia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand and taking into account different threats and local laws.
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