These Simple Steps Let You Identify Fake News and Messages on Whatsapp

As per the report by the Computational Propaganda Project at Oxford University, WhatsApp was the main platform for disinformation in seven of those nations, including Brazil, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, and Mexico.

This clearly shows how important it is to learn how to check and report fake news and messages on WhatsApp. Fake news and messages are the biggest threat for the following countries.

There are spelling mistakes on many websites which contain fake news, you on a regular basis see this kind of websites while browsing, sometimes you open because of the attractive heading, and here you have to be very secure as the chances of being fake news which you are opening is here to fool you.

Sometimes your friends don’t even feel that for a joke they are forwarding fake news and people who share them unintentionally or intentionally share the same in a group or person which makes the situation worse for the society as well as for you.

Social media shares a variety of news throughout the day, and there are many claims, mostly fake. This has increased considerably in the Corona period. Everyone has become aware of corona and is forwarding messages from anywhere without thinking and looking. Earlier, fake posts shared on social media have also led to incidents like mob lynching in the country, but you can check a message, a claim, or a news item on WhatsApp a little wisely whether it is fake or true.

1. Identify forward messages

WhatsApp has released the forward message feature in 2018 itself to determine whether the message is forwarded or sent directly to you by someone. Check the facts whenever you receive a forward message. Search Google for that message or claim and check it with a trusted source or check once on the Twitter handle of the PIB fact check. Avoid forwarding forwarded messages to anyone.

2. Question messages

If you receive a message on WhatsApp that makes you angry or scared, check about the message and find out if the message is sent for the purpose of inciting your feelings. Send the message to someone further only after it is believed, otherwise delete it immediately. If someone sends a health message, ask him what is the source of this information or claim.

3. Check messages that are hard to believe

Sometimes there are messages that are a little difficult to believe. Such messages are often not true. In this case, find out from another source how much truth that message contains.

4. Avoid different-looking messages

Sometimes you receive messages that make spelling mistakes. Most such messages are fake and false. Delete such messages immediately and do not send them to anyone.

5. Check photo

When you receive a photo and video on WhatsApp, check it out and watch it carefully. Often photos and videos are edited and sent.

6. Check the link too

The link in the message may appear to be from a familiar or well-known site, but if it contains misspellings or strange characters, something may be wrong.

7. Use other sources

Take the help of another news site to check any news or check it with TV. If the incident has been written about in many places, it may be true.

8. Do not forward messages without understanding.

Before sending any message forward, think once that the information in it is correct or incorrect.

9. Block numbers and groups which you dislike

If you think you’re receiving messages from a number that is a fake user or sending fake messages, block it. You can also leave the rumor-mongering group.

10. False news often spreads

You ignore how often you have received the message. Just because the message has been shared many times does not mean that the news is true.

Try this also –

Update your WhatsApp app from Google Play Store. Open Whatsapp and go to chat where you get the forwarded message. You will see a search web button near that forward message. Tap on that button and you will be redirected to the browser with the Google Search page about that message. From there, you can easily verify the news being covered by some media websites. This feature actually works when you want to spot Fake News which is now becoming an issue.