WhatsApp rolls out a reverse image search function. It has teamed up with Google to make it simple for users to recognize and confirm the images shared in chats, preventing the spread of false or misleading information.
What is this feature? WhatsApp is efficient at sharing unverified content, but it also forwards messages, videos, and images with ease. Since phony photos and videos are so common these days and are often altered for malicious purposes, WhatsApp is testing a feature called reverse image search that will allow users to track down the original source of an image and confirm that it is authentic before sharing it with others.
How Does the WhatsApp Reverse Image Search Feature Work?
The feature is currently in beta testing for Android and is being gradually rolled out to its users. It will soon be available on WhatsApp Web as well. According to WaBetaInfo, a platform that monitors WhatsApp updates, a simple tap on any image received in a chat will enable the reverse image search.
The option “Search on the web” will appear in the three-dot menu located in the upper right corner of the chat screen once the image has been selected. When you tap on this, Google will perform a reverse image search, which looks for the image’s original online source. This is helpful because all it takes is a button click to check Google’s extensive database to determine whether an image is real or not.
WhatsApp has also ensured its users that their privacy will be safe while using this application. The company has clarified that while you are using the reverse image search feature, the company will upload only the image you are checking on Google for analysis. Other stuffs in the chat and what have you will not be shared or stored by WhatsApp to ensure that privacy respects its users.
Why is This Feature Important?
Reverse image searches are becoming more common as online fraud and false information cases increase. Fake news that is disseminated through phony images or videos has the potential to deceive people and incite fear. This will be the case during a period of political upheaval, a health crisis, or something similar.
With more than 4 billion users globally, WhatsApp has become one of the most popular sharing apps. As such, it is critical that the app offers users tools to distinguish between authentic and fraudulent content. One step toward making sure users can promptly spot manipulated or fraudulent images before they spread further is the reverse image search tool. Users can use this feature to see if the image has already been published, fact-checked, or refuted by other reliable sources.
With the reverse image search feature, users will be further empowered to protect themselves against fraudsters. In the past, scammers used images as fakes to trap victims of scams, like phishing or scam offers. This can now be prevented since WhatsApp empowers users to crosscheck images received from anyone.
WhatsApp other features
In addition to the reverse image search feature, WhatsApp has several other efforts towards combating misinformation. First of all, security and privacy have remained major improvements in the company, especially following the rising problem of misinformation. Furthermore, it has improved the content moderation tools, reporting features, and the settings for its privacy features so that it avoids fake news and harmful content for its users.
This new feature also reduces the misuse of AI-generated images, which have become increasingly popular in recent years. It has become easier to generate realistic-looking fake images with artificial intelligence, making it harder to distinguish fact from fiction.
