WhatsApp, and more importantly, its current owner Facebook, were amidst a controversy about the messages it sent for moderation or review. The instant messaging platform brushed off all allegations. However, Facebook is reportedly amending the protocol governing the practice reviewing messages that users “Report”.
Facebook-owned WhatsApp seems to be working on a more straightforward method that will help users report messages. Moving ahead, users could “Report” and send only single, specific messages for human review and moderation.
WhatsApp users ‘Reported’ messages were actually read by human moderators?
Recent reports have alleged that WhatsApp and Facebook undermined the promise of End to End Encryption. Apparently, the instant messaging platform may have had a backdoor that allowed human moderators access to messages that users “Report”.
WhatsApp tests a new functionality to report specific messages on iOS and Android https://t.co/XQDQw5PSiB
— Blaze Trends (@theblazetrends) September 21, 2021
Needless to mention, neither Facebook nor WhatsApp offered any convincing explanation. It seems Facebook may have hired multiple human moderators to view messages that WhatsApp users report.
WhatsApp users can report messages for possible violations of the messaging platform’s usage policy. Messages could be abusive, threatening, or sexually explicit in nature.
WhatsApp is testing a feature on Android, iOS that will users report specific messages, instead of entire chatshttps://t.co/0LhKKgwNG1
— Gadgets 360 (@Gadgets360) September 21, 2021
After users “Report” a message, it may be going through an AI-driven system to ascertain certain incremating components. However, reports have claimed the platform employs several hundred human moderators, to review the messages.
Reporting WhatsApp messages could become simpler and straightforward:
It seems along with the reported message, the system also delivered four messages that preceded the same. These additional messages allegedly offered more context and clarity to the moderation platform.
Moving ahead, the reporting mechanism will deliver a single message and won’t including the four preceding ones. The new feature seemingly allows the users to highlight a single message, whether from an individual chat, a group chat, or a business account.
WhatsApp may soon let you report specific messages on Android, iOS https://t.co/0LhKKgfchr pic.twitter.com/NPf4ywRoRh
— Gadgets 360 (@Gadgets360) September 21, 2021
The modified reporting mechanism reportedly exists in WhatsApp beta version 2.21.20.1. When users select a specific message, they will get a new drop-down option.
#WhatsApp going to let you report specific messages. pic.twitter.com/lh6bD7M23S
— 𝚂𝚊𝚊𝚍𝚑 𝙹𝚊𝚠𝚠𝚊𝚍𝚑 (@SaadhJawwadh) September 21, 2021
Tapping the new option will open a dialog allowing the users to block the offending business account or contact. The same dialogue bow will also allow users to report the selected message.
It is not clear when the new Reporting system will become available to general WhatsApp users. However, this is certainly an additional measure Facebook is taking to boost the privacy of users and the credibility of the platform.