WhatsApp is removing two million accounts each month to fight fake news

WhatsApp has been trying really hard to fight against the fake news. The company has already started using study grants and started labeling forwarded messages. However, it seems the company is taking a rather old-school approach - deleting the accounts that spread fake news.

The popular messaging service has revealed that it's deleting 2 million accounts every month. And in several cases, the users don't need to complain. Around 95 percent of the offending accounts are taken down after WhatsApp spots an "abnormal" activity, WhatsApp's Matt Jones told The Guardian.

These accounts usually send messages without a "typing" dialog," or start sending a flurry of messages as soon as they sign up for the service. Carl Woog also said that he would remove accounts involved in "automated or bulk" behavior.

With the general elections just a few months away, WhatsApp could be misused to spread fake news and sway the voters. The service might have to take down several accounts at the time that spread bogus news and rumors.

"We have seen a number of parties attempt to use WhatsApp in ways that it was not intended, and our firm message to them is that using it in that way will result in bans of our service," said Carl Woog, head of communications for WhatsApp.

The popular messaging service faced a similar issue during the elections in Brazil last year. The platform witnessed a flurry of fake messages circulating among the masses through these bogus accounts.