10 tips to combat fake news spread on WhatsApp

Here's how you prevent yourself from fake news on WhatsApp.

By GizBot Bureau
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WhatsApp has become the first thing that many look at after they wake up. From annoying 'good morning’ texts to the special message from that special someone, there are a lot of emotions that WhatsApp stirs up inside someone. But despite all the good, there are also a number of bad things that come along with it, cases of mob lynching that were supposedly triggered because of malicious messages spread through the app has made the Indian Government step in and order WhatsApp to take steps to control the spread of misinformation on the app.

 
10 tips to combat fake news spread on WhatsApp

The fact that India has about 200 million active users on WhatsApp has probably influenced that decision as well. WhatsApp has an ad campaign it’s in the middle of tweaking up in an effort to curb the spread of misinformation, these ads will pop up as full-page ads in newspapers across the country and they will mention tips to follow when using WhatsApp.

The tips to understand if something spreading around WhatsApp is true or not are the following:

Understand when a message is forwarded

Understand when a message is forwarded

WhatsApp will be rolling out a feature that allows you to see which messages are forwarded. from.

Question information that upsets you

Question information that upsets you

If something that you read makes you angry or afraid, consider the fact that it was shared to make you feel that way. And if the answer is yes, you'll know what you to do when you are compelled to share it.

Check the information that seems unbelievable
 

Check the information that seems unbelievable

When you get something that seems a little bit farfetched, go elsewhere to determine whether the news you received is true or not.

Look out for messages that look different

Look out for messages that look different

Most hoaxes and fake messages are full of spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Keep an eye out for these in order to verify that the information you receive is accurate.

Check photos in messages regularly

Check photos in messages regularly

Keep in mind that it is not difficult to edit photos and videos, even if a photo is real, it is not difficult to spin a story around it. Always look online to see where a photo came from.

Check links as well

Check links as well

Sometimes links look like they are too well-known websites but there are often spelling mistakes and unusual characters present in them. This is usually a sign that there is something wrong.

Use other sources

Use other sources

Verify the news that you receive on websites or apps, if something is being reported in multiple places, it is likely that the story is true.

Be thoughtful of what you share

Be thoughtful of what you share

If you are unaware of the source or are unsure about the information, think about the article that you are sharing before you do it.

You can control what you see

You can control what you see

You have the option of leaving any group that you want or blocking any number that you want to. You can use these features to control the experience you have on WhatsApp.

Fake news often goes viral

Fake news often goes viral

Even if a message is shared multiple times and you receive it from multiple sources, consider the fact that a message being shared multiple times does not make it true.

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