Mubasher: Facebook’s WhatsApp messenger would limit the number of recipients to whom a user can forward a message to five, in an effort to counter “misinformation and rumours.”

An update will be rolled out to activate the new forward limit as of Monday, WhatsApp’s communications head Carl Woog told Thomson Reuters.

“We’re imposing a limit of five messages all over the world as of today,” WhatsApp policy and communications vice president Victoria Grand said at an event in Indonesia.

The limit expands a global measure WhatsApp implemented in India last July when rumours spread on social media, resulting in killings and lynching attempts.

Previously, users could forward a message up to 20 individuals or groups.

The move came as the messenger service, which has nearly 1.5 billion users, is attempting to find ways to stop misuse of the application, after concerns mounted worldwide that it was used to spread fake news, manipulated photos and audio hoaxes, without a particular way to monitor their origin.