WhatsApp has done well to curb fake news, but social and messaging services need to invest more in tech

On Tuesday, WhatsApp announced another significant step towards fighting the infodemic. The company said that it would add a search feature, making it easier for users to fact-check messages. Although WhatsApp will still not be able to read the contents of the message, it has devised a safe way for consumers to search it on the web. Earlier in April, it had announced new limits on the forwarding of viral messages. Before that in March, it had announced a grant of $1 million to the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) as part of its #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance. The company in association with the IFCN also provides a list of numbers and a chatbot for fact-checking.