WhatsApp is testing a new Google-powered “search image” feature that lets users search for an image, to find out whether it’s legitimate or not.
WhatsApp may soon let you reverse image search on Google through a simple menu option available within its app. The feature was spotted this week by WABetaInfo in the WhatsApp beta for Android version 2.19.73 and is currently only in testing in that version. According to WABetaInfo, “WhatsApp is working on the feature in this update to ensure the best bug-free experience for you before to enable it for everyone.”
If available, the new “search image” option appears after highlighting a photo that you’ve been sent on WhatsApp and then tapping on the three-dot menu. Google then launches a browser window to show you matches for the specific search.
WhatsApp has been facing a lot of trouble lately with misinformation spreading on its platform, and has even recently lowered the number of times a message can be forwarded to curb this. The new feature is being described as a tool to help fight the spread of misinformation.
Reverse image search is one of the best ways to understand if something is fake – if you give it some time to properly go through the results that is.
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