Islamabad, Oct 11: It enables a user to upload received images to Google in order to search for similar images and sources for confirmation of the pictures’ legitimacy.
This aids in filtering out fake or fake news within the news feeds being shared.
We respect the user’s privacy – the images are ended to end encrypted and not stored or processed by WhatsApp.
The feature is currently enabled in the newest WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.21.3 that got released in the Play Store.
It allows for searching any image, which was sent in the app, in chats or forwards, on the internet.
Besides image search, for the frequently forwarded messages, image search feature on WhatsApp is also in the process of prosecuting the links for authentications.
The feature is an example of how WhatsApp tries to provide users with more control over fake news while preserving their privacy.
But it is still a beta version. In other words, this is a significant move by WhatsApp to provide users with some more context and verification capabilities as to whether or not there is misinformation in an image search feature on WhatsApp, without threatening the users’ privacy.
Usage in beta form means its wider availability in the near future.
