Search the Web allows people to double-check forwarded messages on WhatsApp

Just as we reported last month, WhatsApp now provides a label to messages shared in chats that have been forwarded many times. The platform introduced the first limit to forwarding at the beginning of 2019, when the company rolled out a 5-chat forwarding limit globally after tests and feedback from users. When people receive a forwarded message, they see two gray arrows, indicating that the original message was not sent by a close contact. Now WhatsApp builds upon that feature with the ability to double-check forwarded messages by clicking on a magnifying glass icon next to them.

The new feature is called Search the Web and “works by allowing users to upload the message via their browser without WhatsApp ever seeing the message itself.” It will open a new browser window showing results about the message in question. It’s not guaranteed that this move will stop misinformation altogether but it will provide another useful tool to help users feel and stay safe.