Clicking links on WhatsApp is about to get a lot safer

Sending links through messenger platforms like WhatsApp is pretty normal. Not all those links are safe, though. If you’re savvy enough you could probably do your own due diligence, but not everyone is like that. This is why an upcoming WhatsApp update should make things a lot simpler.

According to a report from WABetaInfo, it seems that WhatsApp is testing out a new feature for links right now. Basically, when someone sends you a link through WhatsApp, you have the option of searching for that link on Google. While it doesn’t necessarily prevent scams, at the very least you’ll be able to search it up online to get more context, or if you want, you can click the link through the search results itself.

Prior to this, WABetaInfo noted that this was aimed more at links that were frequently forwarded. This is probably due to the fact that frequently forwarded links and messages might be misleading or harmful due to their viral nature. However, this update suggests that it works with frequently forwarded links as well as regular ones.

That being said, it’s not the perfect solution. At the end of the day, it’s up to users to decide if they want more context or do their own due diligence. If users still insist on clicking suspicious links without double checking, there’s not much WhatsApp can do.