Whatsapp is taking away our freedom to express

Whatsapp is trying to stop indians from spreading fake news. Apparently, our own government asked them to do this. How could they do this to their own people? Don’t they understand the importance of freedom of expression?

Indians are used to spreading fake news even before whatsapp or SMS. We used to send post cards that says copy it down to another 25 cards and send it to 25 different people, or bad luck is awaiting you. When we started using mobile phones and send SMS, we took this culture with us. SMS made it so easy to send messages like these. We don’t have to write it anymore. Just press a few buttons and good luck is yours. So easy, right?

Whatsapp was even better. No character limit. Totally free. And we can send multimedia too. It’s a heaven for fake news. We enjoyed sharing news like frooti contains blood of an AIDS patient, KFC use mutant chickens and the government asked them to stop using the word ‘chicken’ etc. Whatsapp is the only app we need for all kinda news. We don’t care if it’s fake. All we care is we have a quick share button next to a message with which we can send this bullshit to another 1000 people.

According to media, all that joy is going to end. Whatsapp is experimenting a feature in india which limits the number of times a person can forward a message into 5. In other countries, this will be 20. How unfair. We are the ones who actively sends forwards, (my family whatsapp group has only forward messages/pics/videos. Nobody talks to each other.) and we get only 5. And they are also taking away the quick forward button from us.

But don’t worry. We can still make sure our beloved fake news gets to more people. Do not forward a message to individuals. Instead forward them to groups. More the number of members, more reach for your fake news. Spend your five chances wisely.

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The weekend is here!. “Give yourself a break” is published by Nyamuka Books.