HYDERABAD: Instant messaging app Whatsapp has recently released its new feature and it appears to have come as a major relief to several group administrators, especially in the government and official circles. Inundated with spam and fake messages, groups created for public or official purposes were getting hijacked for campaigning and marketing activities. Using the new feature, the group admin can now stop participants from responding to messages, thereby making it a one-way communication.
The feature has instantly attracted several ministers and officials. Groups like PRO Etala, Minister’s Press, PRO Harish, CMO, PRO KTR, GHMC, Hyderabad City Police PRO2 among others have already activated the new feature. Speaking to Express on the condition of anonymity, admin of a senior minister’s official WhatsApp group explained how journalist members in it started using the space to campaign for press club elections. “We were spammed with photos, videos and GIFs of various candidates,” he said. “This new feature will be of major help in not letting the groups be hijacked for other purposes.”
B Dayakar, the admin of the Cyberabad media group, said: “The flow of morphed images and doctored videos has now stopped.” The new feature, may users feel, could restrict the free flow of fake news and hate messages. “There are several insensitive messages that are being circulated. If only admins have control over the group communication, there is subjectivity and only a single agenda promoted,” said NGO worker Nitin Tapadia.
No inclusivity?
Some others, however, have flayed the idea of one-way communication. They feel the feature will destroy the participative nature of a group, which gives scope for discussion or argument. When asked about the downside of the feature, Dayakar observed that the members cannot clarify if there are any doubts, and instead they need to send a direct message.
Communication experts in new media, however, point out that an authoritarian style of communication is being promoted through the new feature. P Shiva Trishul, an independent new media researcher said the new feature will kill interactivity which is the primary characteristic of social media.
Incidentally, recently, WhatsApp admitted that fake news was a big problem facing the social security situation in India.
WhatsApp says...
According to a communication from WhatsApp published on its blog, the motive behind the new setting was to encourage promotion of important communication in official settings. The feature gives autonomy to a group admin in restricting communication from participants.