WhatsApp Limits Message Forwarding To Help Stop Spread Of Fake News

MENLO PARK (CBS SF) -- Under accusations that it helped spread misinformation, WhatsApp is limiting the number of times users can forward messages to five.

The Menlo Park-based company boasts some 1.5 billion users worldwide. People rely on the app to text and make international calls for free.

The 5-time limit was first imposed last July in India where incendiary rumors were shared so widely on the messaging app, they sparked mob violence and killings.

"WhatsApp carefully evaluated this test and listened to user feedback over a six-month period. The forward limit significantly reduced forwarded messages around the world," a WhatsApp spokesman said in a statement. "We'll continue to listen to user feedback about their experience, and over time, look for new ways of addressing viral content."

Before the new limits, users could forward messages 20 times.