Internet in India has brought a massive change in the way we communicate, eat, shop, watch and read all through internet apps. Like everything else, there is a downside to easy access to social media and messaging apps as well: the uncontrollable flood of propaganda and fake news. False often sensational, information disseminated under the guise of news is spreading like wild fire. User-based platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp etc. and availability of inexpensive internet and Social sites have led to the unprecedented rise in the instances of Fake News among the masses.

            As majority of the users do not cross-check the authenticity of the forwarded messages, this, in turn, is creating hysteria among the masses. WhatsApp is emerging as a major source of such misleading news after Facebook and Twitter. With its several features like ‘Create a Group’ or ‘Broadcast a message to many contacts at once’ or ‘Forward’ has made it very easy to create information and its distribution. 

So, what these Social Media Giants are doing to curb the spread of false information on their platform and the aftermath of such news?

• WhatsApp came up with a latest feature that labels forwarded messages so that recipients can distinguish whether it is composed by the sender or it is being forwarded blindly.
• It launched a new setting that enables administrators to decide who gets to send messages within individual groups and provides an option to the user to decide who can add them.
• Facebook had tied up with Boom Live – a fact-checking organization – to curb fake news.

           That’s all good, but as a social being, it’s our social obligation too that we cross-examine any suspicious information and follow the most trusted media outlets only.
Stay informed, and stay smart!