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WhatsApp alerts ‘suspicious link’ to reduce spam
MUMBAI: In a recent development, WhatsApp has launched a new feature which shows ‘suspicious link’ label on the message to crack down on false information being spread through its platform.
According to the company, the check would be performed automatically on a user’s device and reiterated that WhatsApp cannot see contents of the message because of its end-to-end encryption technology. (Read WhatsApp’s statement here
If a link is marked suspicious, a user can tap the link and a pop-up message will appear highlighting the unusual characters within the link. The user can choose to open the link or go back to the chat.
Take for instance the URL
The first character looks like the letter “w” but is instead the character “w”, a ploy that might be used by spammers to trick a user to visit a website that wasn’t actually related to WhatsApp.
A spokesperson for the company told BOOM that the feature should not be confused with finding fake domains.
Earlier this month, it announced that it was limiting the number of contacts a message could be forwarded to five at a time.
This year nearly 24 people were killed in India in separate incidents fuelled by fake messages of child abductors. Last week, New Delhi wrote a second warning letter that it might face legal action if it failed to take effective steps to curb the flow of false information on its platform.
“When rumours and fake news get propagated by mischief mongers, the medium used for such propagation cannot evade responsibility and accountability. If they remain mute spectators they are liable to be treated as abettors and thereafter face consequent legal action,” the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had said in the letter.
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
