In a social media-driven generation, most of us at some point have shared fake or half-true news on our timelines. Sitting before our desktops or scrolling down our mobile phones, we accept any news that is thrown at us without question, especially when it is shared by relatively credible media houses or public personalities. We have an expectation that what we read is true.
However, not all that we read is true. Too many news stories these days are fake, half-true, planted or outdated.
The problem of fake news is becoming a crisis in India, especially when credible media houses with millions of readers widely share such false stories.
Here is a breakdown of fake/false news, mainstream media misreporting, and public personalities spreading misinformation in the last week.
1) US soldier depicted as Indian soldier so that Facebook pages can get more traction
Some Facebook pages are sharing a photograph of a US marine with injured feet and claiming it to be a photograph of an Indian soldier with injured feet so that their pages can get more likes and shares.
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Posted by Laughing Colours on Thursday, July 13, 2017
One page actually said “Those who don’t comment “Jai Hind” in respect of the soldier are Pakistanis.”
Such posts got hundreds of thousands of shares, likes and comments, proving the gullibility of many Indians.
2) No, RSS is not distributing slippers with image of Jesus Christ on them in Gujarat
SM Hoax Slayer reported that a Facebook user posted an image of a slipper with an illustration of Jesus Christ on it.
The post read: “These Sandals are supplied for free in Gujarat, by some people hoping it would start a 2002 style riot, which will improve BJP’s chances of winning the forthcoming elections … But Christians are not bothered, because they are not crazy illiterates like the Chaddies (who would have lynched a dozen people by now, if the picture was of a Hindu God).”
The slippers were not from Gujarat; the image is from last year and it evoked outrage and global debate.
3) BJP MP tweets newspaper cutting with Photoshopped headline
BJP MP Prathap Simha tweeted an image on Sunday, 9 July, showing a Times of India article titled “Hindu girl stabbed to death by Muslim man”.
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BJP MP Pratap Simha had tweeted a Times of India story with a distorted headline. Kindly be aware of this image floating around on social media.
Posted by Alt News on Saturday, July 8, 2017
No such headline ever appeared in The Times of India. The Times of India itself tweeted, “The headline of our original story (pic) was distorted by a mischief monger using photoshop. Our legal team will take action.”
Simha subsequently deleted his post.
The headline of our original story (pic) was distorted by a mischief monger using photoshop. Our legal team will take action. pic.twitter.com/lY0EweG7NJ
— Times of India (@timesofindia) July 8, 2017
3) Pakistan Defence wrongly calls Pakistan the largest refugee hosting country in the world
Pakistan Defence, “a one stop resource for Pakistan defence, strategic affairs, security issues, world defence and military affairs”, recently tweeted saying, “Pakistan is proud to be the largest refugee hosting country in the world & we’re proud that we didn’t produce a racist maniac like you.”
Pakistan is proud to be the largest refugee hosting country in the world & we’re proud that we didn’t produce a racist maniac like you. https://t.co/BwnT3KajUY
— Pakistan Defence (@defencepk) July 9, 2017
This is factually wrong. Pakistan is not the largest refugee hosting country in the world. This distinction goes to Jordan, followed closely by Turkey. Pakistan is #3.
According to Amnesty International, 56% of the world’s 21 million refugees are being hosted by just 10 countries – all in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia.
4) BJP spokesperson mistakes 2002 Gujarat riots for 2017 Basirhat riots
Nupur Sharma, a BJP spokesperson in Delhi, had two non-bailable cases registered against her by the Kolkata Police. Sharma had shared a photo of the 2002 Gujarat riots on social media, claiming it to be a photograph of the Basirhat riots last week.
Since trolls spent a sleepless night covering-up Basirhat violence, sharing media pics of the riots. Hope they report this to @WBPolice too pic.twitter.com/CFW5P4xqB4
— Nupur Sharma…
