WhatsApp offers tips to spot fake news after murders

WhatsApp took out fullpage advertisements in Indian newspapers yesterday offering “easy tips” to identify fact from fiction after a slew of recent murders spurred by hoaxes shared on its platform.

The Facebook-owned messaging service has been under immense pressure to curb the spread of misinformation in India after the lynching of more than 20 people accused of child abduction in the last two months. WhatsApp said it was “horrified” by the violence and promised swift action. Indian authorities have accused the social media giant of acting irresponsibly. The slick adverts in English and Hindi language newspapers, entitled “together we can fight false information”, listed 10 tips for users seeking to sort truth from rumour.

“Do not pay attention to the number of times you receive the message. Just because a message is shared many times, does not make it true,” offer one of the tidbits of advice. It also suggested users crosscheck information against reputable news sources and not share the messages further if they doubt their authenticity