Whatsapp launches campaign in Pakistan to tackle fake news ahead of polls

JournalismPakistan.com | Published: 20 July 2018

WhatsApp has launched a campaign in Pakistan to raise awareness about fake news as the July 25 general elections approach. The campaign provides tips for users to identify false information effectively.
Summary

ISLAMABAD - Popular instant messenger service Whatsapp has launched a public awareness campaign in Pakistan to tackle the spread of false information ahead of the July 25 general elections, according to a media report.

The Facebook-owned application has rolled out several easy tips to identify fake news, The Express Tribune reported.

Asserting that fake news often goes viral, the Watsapp media campaign stated that just because a message is shared multiple times, it does not mean that it is true.

The company asked people to look out for messages that appear different and hard to believe and also check photos in messages carefully. “It’s usually a sign that something is wrong if there are spelling mistakes or unusual characters…Stories that are hard to believe are mostly untrue…Look at other news websites and apps to see if the story is being reported elsewhere,” it said, adding that photos and videos can easily be edited to mislead people.

The campaign, ‘Together we can fight false information’, was recently advertised by the company in an English daily newspaper. “To fight fake news we all need to work together – technology companies, the government and community groups. If you see something that’s not true, make people aware and help stop the spread,” it said. - Agencies

KEY POINTS: