Truecaller has announced the launch of its instant messaging platform, Truecaller Chat, aimed at making communication safer by enabling users to report links to ensure that fake news is not circulated unchecked by users.
Users will be able to mark website links as spam if they suspect them to contain incorrect information. Truecaller also plans to apply machine learning and use the aggregated spam reports to predict any upcoming viral trends.
Additionally, ‘Truecaller Chat’ is bundled with interesting features such as, auto-switch between SMS and Chat, which will help users keep conversations in one place. Other features include full media support, the company said in a statement.
“As a one-stop communication platform, our instant messaging service will help our users connect and also collaborate to combat the issue of spam. We’re confident that this foundation stone will help build a strong spam-free community,” Rishit Jhunjhunwala, vice-president, product, Truecaller, told Mint.
This comes against the backdrop of a spate of murders in the country over the last several months, all connected to fake messages on social media. Such incidents have been reported from Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura and West Bengal.
Truecaller has helped erode spam calls faced by users through Caller ID and also strengthened SMS inboxes by filtering unwanted messages. As a step to curb the spread of erroneous information, Truecaller, with help from its community, has launched this service as a shield against viral messages sent on its instant messaging platform, it added.
According to the company, fake news is increasingly becoming a problem in countries around the world, and it comes down to a matter of missing facts and ill-informed information.
For example, India has been facing a major law and order problems caused by fake stories especially when they have led to mob lynching and mass hysteria. The Honorable Supreme Court has strongly expressed its stance and has directed social media platforms to take appropriate measures to suppress fake news. By providing a messaging service with capabilities to tackle fake links, Truecaller is taking a big step towards curbing the problems caused by spam and false information going viral.
“We hope that by introducing Truecaller Chat, this will be a big step towards curbing the problems caused by spam and false information going viral and helping people distinguish misinformation in their daily lives,” Truecaller said.
