THE advent of WhatsApp has transformed the way people use mobile phones. The increasing use of the app is drastically reducing reliance on emails, SMS and even bringing down the number of SIM-to-SIM calls. This shift towards technology is apparently reducing the income of cell phone companies and prompting telcos to venture into other avenues to keep themselves afloat.

Whereas WhatsApp has sped up communication and made sharing of information more convenient, the proliferation of WhatsApp groups — particularly adding one to the group without one’s consent — has become a nuisance for a large number of users. Group members share irrelevant news and posts defying the very purpose of a particular group. For example, a group made for sharing sports-related news loses its relevance if politics, entertainment or other unrelated content is shared on it. Similarly, a WhatsApp group for entertainment should strictly focus on its niche and not on other topics. Moreover, morning greetings shared in groups are a major irritant for members.

Also, in multiple WhatsApp groups, messages in the form of text and images are shared frequently without verifying their authenticity. Unfortunately, group members further share such messages to........

© Dawn