Tips to counter fake news. #senditback

Fake news has proved to become a matter of global concern over the course of the last few years. The spread of fake news has resulted in situations of violence and chaos across India. In 2019, the spread of fake news was instrumental in the perpetuation of misinformation across India. ‘Fake news’ is a term used to refer to the false news which is spread through social media and messaging apps with the intent of propagating disinformation. As India has the largest number of social media users worldwide, it is therefore extremely important that measures aimed at curbing the spread of fake news are put in effect. Millions of Indians are active across various social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp. This makes it even more important for social media users to be aware of the dangers of spreading fake news. Unfortunately, social media has become a tool of spreading hate speech, false news and rumours. Lately, social media has become a breeding ground of misinformation that has resulted in horrific incidents of mob lynchings and violence. Many social media platforms themselves have released guidelines pertaining to the identification and verification of fake news.

To spread awareness on the issue of fake news, Lava had launched its #SenditBack 🔙 campaign on Republic day. Through this hard-hitting digital campaign, Lava wanted to promote the habit of fact-checking among Indian social media users. It seeks to create meaningful conversations around the need to eradicate fake news.

With the help of the #SendItBack 🔙 campaign, Lava wishes to communicate the destructive potential of fake news if it goes unchecked. It wishes to emphasize the importance of verifying all forwarded messages.
Below are the few ways one can counter fake news:

These are the maximum steps that applicable on Social Media in general. More steps are not applicable on all platforms, for example forward label can only be checked on WhatsApp and not on Facebook or other social media platforms.

Determine the authenticity: and source of the information shared. It is advised not to blindly believe in images and video forwarded. People on social media should also remain vigilant, and not forward information that hasn’t been verified.

Fact checking website: There are several fact-checking websites like Snopes.com, FactCheck.org, Hoax-Slayer.net, PolitiFact.com that one can use to verify the news. The message behind the #SendItBack 🔙 campaign is clear – do not blindly trust and forward information that you come across on social media. This campaign reflects Lava’s brand philosophy of being Proudly Indian. Lava urges everyone to use social media responsibly so that it cannot be used to spread hate and misinformation. By encouraging people to use the ‘back’ emoji, Lava wishes to reiterate the importance of verifying news before sharing it with others online.

Check the sources and citations: First question is how did you find the article? If the content showed up in your social media feed or was promoted on a website known for clickbait, proceed with caution. Even if the information was shared by a friend, be sure to think about questions like: Is the information available on other sites? Who is (or is not) quoted, and what do they say?

Reverse google image search: By checking cited sources, you can confirm that the information has been accurately applied and not altered to meet the author’s point of view. The same goes for images. By using reverse image search, you can find out the truth behind every image. So before you forward any message, #SendItBack 🔙 and verify its truth.