WHATSAPP might well be closed the time that Facebook finds a way to correct some flaws in its instant messaging application. The latter is accused of participating in the dissemination of fake news and calls for violence and hatred. In India, some 20 deaths would originate from messages shared by WHATSAPP.
And if Facebook was forced to temporarily close WhatsApp time to fix several worries inherent in the Instant messaging application. This is what Venture Beat claims, which explains that "flaws in the design of the platform could have led to two dozen deaths in India." The media uses information from the Washington Post, which explained that WHATSAPP has become "a platform without filters for fake news and religious hatred".
So the politicians are involved. The Indian minister in charge of information technology issues sent a warning to WHATSAPP, demanding the immediate cessation of the diffusion of "irresponsible messages fuelled by rumours and provocation". He believed that the platform could not "flee its responsibility" when used by malicious individuals involved in the "spread of violence".
In developing countries the application has become a privileged means of communication.
Sent messages are encrypted and there is no type of content moderation or filters. An ideal tool for propaganda of all kinds of ideas. Venture Beat highlights the fact that in countries like India, WHATSAPP is often the gateway to citizens on the Internet, which they know poorly. They are therefore more likely to trust the content that is shared with them. and potentially to react violently when it concerns sensitive themes such as religion or sexuality.
The Facebook email application tries to make efforts to fix it, but it remains light. WHATSAPP now indicates when a message has been forwarded, making it possible to understand that content comes from an external source. But this one is not counter-specified. Soon, WHATSAPP will also alert us if we receive a suspicious link.