WHATSAPP INDIA'S WHATSUPP

IN INDIA PEOPLE forward on WhatsApp  more messages, photos and videos, than any other  country in the world, WhatsApp said............

WHATSAPP announced limits on the forwarding of messages by its 200 million Indian users in an effort to stop a spate of horrific lynchings and to assuage government threats of legal action in its biggest market.

More than 20 people have been butchered by crazed mobs in the past two months across India after being accused of child kidnapping and other crimes in viral messages circulated wildly on  WhatsApp.

Late Thursday India's government, scrambling to find a response, threatened legal action against  WhatsApp, saying the "medium" for spreading malicious rumours "cannot evade responsibility and accountability."

The Facebook-owned firm responded on Friday with the announcement that it will test limiting the ability of its users to forward messages and cap at five the number of contacts or groups that messages can be forwarded to.

In addition, it said it will "remove the quick forward button next to media messages, " a statement said.

"We believe that these changes - which we'll continue to evaluate - will help keep WhatsApp the way it was designed to be : a private messaging app," the company said.

Under pressure from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's  government, the firm had already announced  new features to help users identify messages that have been forwarded.

WhatsApp had also bought full-page adverts in Indian newspapers with tips on how to spot misinformation.

But in a strongly worded statement released late Thursday, India's information technology ministry said that was not enough.

"Ramapant circulation of irresponsible messages in large volumes on their platform have not been addressed adequately by WhatsApp," the ministry said.

"If WhatsApp remains mute spectators they are liable to be treated as abettors and thereafter face consequent legal action," it said. [Agencies]