WhatsApp will take more measures to limit viral content on the country's most popular messaging app and is committed to keeping users safe, its new India head Abhijit Bose said Wednesday.
Bose, who is the first top-level executive to be hired for the country that accounts for the lion's share of its global user base, said he believed private messaging is fundamental to safety and he would work with all stakeholders in India for the common safety goal.
WhatsApp has been under intense pressure from the government to devise ways to identify message originators to trace the origin of fake messages circulated on its platform, especially ahead of general elections slated to begin next month. Last year, fake news circulated on WhatsApp incited mob fury, leading to the lynching of over a dozen people across India.
Bose's appointment had been announced in November last year and he was to take over the role in early 2019. Bose joins WhatsApp from e-payments company Ezetap where he served as co-founder and CEO.
"One of the questions we often get asked is what role technology can play to ensure the safety of all of us who live in India," he wrote in an e-mail message to media houses.
"We strongly believe that private messaging is fundamental to safety and we are pleased that the recent changes we have made to limit viral content and educate users is having an impact. This work is never done there is more that we can and will do."
Stating that he recently joined as the first Head of WhatsApp in India, Bose said he is going to be listening closely and learning in the months to come and looks "forward to working with stakeholders here in India on our common safety goals".
The government has, on several occasions, warned social media companies that they can't evade responsibility if their platforms are used to spread false information.
WhatsApp has taken a number of steps over the last many months, including the appointment of a US-based grievance officer for India and introducing a "forwarded" label to clarify when a text had not originated from the sender.
It also attempted to slow down forwarding of messages by limiting the number of contacts to whom a message could be sent - to five at a time.
WhatsApp is also conducting research with academics and other experts to help understand the challenge of misinformation and improve efforts over time. It has published ads in various newspapers and conducted road-shows, radio, and television campaigns, outlining steps to spot fake news.
"In the end, whatever we do has to stay true to the principles that made WhatsApp so well-loved: be easy for everyone to understand and use, solve a few problems very well, and prioritise security and privacy," he said adding WhatsApp will engage and be a supportive partner to India.
Technology, he said, can help address some of the country's most pressing issues.
"There are hundreds, if not thousands, of home-grown tech companies building innovative solutions to improve financial inclusion, health, and education. WhatsApp is excited to support these efforts by providing a platform to connect micro-services to people anywhere in the country, helping our blossoming start-up ecosystem deliver critical India-first solutions at scale and speed in order to truly move the needle for our country," he said.
Bose said that the most exciting and impactful deployment of technology at scale will happen in India and WhatsApp is a part of that story.
