WhatsApp is the largest messaging platform at the moment, it is used by over 1.4 billion people on iPhone, Android, and other platforms, but unfortunately it is also a very big source of tragedies. Over the weekend, 5 people were killed in India due to some fake messages that were distributed through the WhatsApp platform, simple people from the country being manipulated to mercilessly kill innocent people in the middle of the street.
WhatsApp has been used for some time in India for the distribution of fake news about the existence of groups of child kidnappers, or organ thieves, and this has led to the killing of 17 people, so far, by ordinary but manipulated people. The 5 people were licked by a group of villagers, who had read on WhatsApp that there are child kidnappers and organ thieves in the area, after one of them initiated a discussion with a child.
WhatsApp: BEWARE of Messages Received in the Application
WhatsApp has this problem completely out of control in India, a communication specialist sent by the police to warn villagers about fake news was also licked last month without mercy. Basically, simple people, they understand without a hint of logic, can be extremely easily manipulated by fake messages sent via WhatsApp, but the same is true for those who "discovered the fire", because of the way the messages are created.
"WhatsApp is working to make it clear when users have received forwarded information and provide controls to group administrators to reduce the spread of unwanted messages in private chats. We've also seen people use WhatsApp to fight misinformation, including the police in India, news organizations and fact checkers. We are working with a number of organizations to step up our education efforts so that people know how to spot fake news and hoaxes circulating online."
WhatsApp says it is trying to fight against the phenomenon in India, and a recent update is meant to prevent the spread of fake news, but where people are easily manipulated, it is too difficult to combat such a thing. Unfortunately, the social networks used by so many people have become a tool for mass manipulation, and innocent people are killed by those who still do not understand the digital world in which they are.
