As reported by the Independent, Facebook could stop people from forwarding messages to too many people in an attempt to stop the spread of misinformation about coronavirus. The company is testing a new feature for Messenger that only allows messages to be sent on to a maximum of five people, making it harder to spread hoaxes or rumours without thinking about them. The feature is not yet available but Facebook confirmed it is being tested inside the company.
This is another great step forward from the tech giant. Mass spreading of anything malicious, be it untoward or simply wrong, can be extremely contagious in itself and worryingly adds fuel to an already fearful fire.
Not only will this move slow down the mass spread of misinformation, it also will hopefully stop mass spreading of scams and other malicious messages. I hope that the rest of the messaging platforms will also follow suit in turn.