In the current knowledge economy, knowing the facts and knowing them accurately is key. How can you learn to fact-check? Discover here.

The Social Dilemma documentary highlighted that fake news spreads six times faster than real news.

One type is seemingly harmless, like the apparent NASA satellite image of “Diwali from space” or the fact that a nano-chip was embedded in the newly minted 2000-rupee note during demonetisation.

The other, more dangerous type, spreads unintentionally through gossip, rumours, or misunderstanding. Despite its unintentional nature, this kind of fake news can have severe consequences, from inciting mob violence to fuelling vaccine hesitancy.

The epidemic of fake news has now become all-encompassing and a threat to public safety (mob lynchings), public health (COVID-19 vaccine fake news), and communal harmony (misinformation about Indian history, love jihad, population jihad, etc.).

Efforts to combat misinformation by fake news-busting websites are commendable but have limitations.

Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Alt News, emphasises the irony of his role as a fact-checking journalist, highlighting that it reflects what the media should ideally be doing.

When mainstream media, whose primary responsibility is to verify facts, becomes a conduit for fake news and aligns itself closely with the government, it raises serious questions. In India, fake news propagated by mainstream news channels is no longer confined to fringe groups but is becoming normalised and legitimised.

Recent literature on the topic of fake news in India, such as Love Jihad and Other Fictions and Don’t Forward That Text, delve into the most popular fake news tropes spread by Hindu nationalists and critically examine them. What becomes clear very quickly through their review of these topics is that fake news, moral panic, misinformation, and disinformation are all, at their core, a reflection of latent anxieties of the majoritarian ruling class.

For majoritarian unity to be possible, it needs a common enemy, the “Other”.

Any information that can further cement this primary end goal will be utilised, regardless of whether the information is true or false.

This phenomenon is eerily reminiscent of the found in the Holy Qur’anand Hadith about the fitna (trial/test) of Dajjal (the false messiah/the anti-Christ) prophesied to appear in the word during the end of times.

As per the Hadith literature, one of Dajjal’s many tricks will be to distort people’s realities. Dajjal’s appearance will be in an era of deceptions, again, according to Hadith. The era in which trustworthy people will be dismissed as liars and treacherous people will be trusted would be the precursor to Dajjal’s arrival.

The preventative measure in such times of chaos and confusion is to hold on to something that will never change and has always been and always will be immutable, i.e., the Islamic faith (belief in the Oneness of God, that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is God’s Final Messenger and Prophet, and to believe in and follow the guidance given by God and His Prophet (PBUH).

The other important weapon we have is that of knowledge.

The more one develops the scope, breadth, and depth of one’s knowledge from reliable, certified sources, the more one is aware of the nature of fake news and can be protected from falling into its trap.

The Holy Qur’an encourages us to utilise the ability to think critically:

“O you who believe! If a rebellious evil person comes to you with a news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterwards you become regretful of what you have done.” (49:6)

Elsewhere in the Holy Quran, it also states,

“So ask those who know the Scripture [learned men of the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)], if you know not.” (16:43)

This particular verse refers to the idea that one should consult qualified individuals/scholars /experts when one needs to possess adequate knowledge about a topic.

Here are some ways in which one can be a critical thinker, especially concerning fake news :

1. Verify Credentials: Is the author an expert in the relevant field? Are they currently active in that domain? Check their credentials on LinkedIn or conduct a quick Google search to ascertain their authority and reliability.

2. Scrutinise the “About Us” Section: Does the source provide an “About Us” section? Trustworthy websites typically offer such information and provide means for contacting them.

3. Identify Bias: Does the article exhibit a noticeable bias towards a specific perspective? Does it reference sources, files, or images that align with particular ideological leanings? Biased content may present an incomplete picture of the issue.

4. Check Dates: Information needs to be updated like perishable goods. Whenever possible, rely on the most recent and up-to-date information available.

5. Verify Sources: When an article cites sources, it’s prudent to verify them. Seemingly authoritative sources represent biased think tanks or reflect only a fringe viewpoint. If sources aren’t provided, conduct thorough research on the topic to gauge the article’s accuracy.

6. Scrutinise URLs: Domain manipulation is increasingly common. Be wary of URLs that mimic legitimate domains but contain slight variations, such as substituting “.edu” with “.co” or “lo.” Conduct a thorough investigation if you encounter a variant of a well-known URL.

7. Beware of Sensationalism: Exercise scepticism when encountering sensational content. Exaggerated headlines and excessive capitalisation of language should raise red flags.

8. Be Critical: If something appears too good to be true, bizarre, or overly reactionary, it likely is—exercise sound judgment when evaluating the credibility of the information.

Here are some fact-checking websites:

FactCheck.org

Fact checker.inFact Check Explorer
WebQoof (The Quint)
AltNews

How to fact-check images and videos:
Images:

1. Google Reverse Image Search
2. Fact Check Explorer Image Search
3. Check the image’s history and how old or recent it is.
4. See the ‘About this image’ section. It will help you understand the credibility and context of an image.
5. See the metadata of the image in Google search. This will show you if it is AI-generated or enhanced.

Videos:

• Use YouTube Data Viewer. Amnesty International has developed a tool specifically designed to extract data from videos available on YouTube. By inputting a YouTube URL into this tool, users can obtain precise information about the video’s upload time and access thumbnail images, facilitating reverse image searches. Again, this will help establish the credibility and context of any sensational/unverified information.

Vigilance is not just a useful ability, but indeed, an essential survival skill given the times we live in.

But can we combat the sheer juggernaut of fake news?

Here are some things we can do at an individual level:

1. Report the post on whatever portal you saw it on. For example, you can report a post on Instagram or flag a video on YouTube.

2. Share news on the same topic from a verified source. For example, if you see a viral WhatsApp message about how vaccines are causing diseases, share articles from the WHO or a qualified healthcare provider that debunk the false information on that topic.

Collectively, the solution would be to push for reforms at a structural level by compelling those in power to penalise Meta and other media channels for allowing their platforms to be used to disseminate fake news.

In India, this is easier said than done because, again, the very elected representatives are, more often than not, the principal propagators of fake news. It is the same “democratically elected” individuals who regularly stoke majoritarian anxieties about “illegal immigrants”, “population jihad”, etc.

To change this state of affairs is indeed a long-term project, one that will not be possible unless the majority community learns to critically examine and self-reflect on its many anxieties and insecurities regarding the “Other.”

Collectively, the solution would be to push for reforms at a structural level by compelling those in power to penalise Meta and other media channels for allowing their platforms to be used to disseminate fake news.

In India, this is easier said than done because, again, the very elected representatives are, more often than not, the principal propagators of fake news. It is the same “democratically elected” individuals who regularly stoke majoritarian anxieties about “illegal immigrants”, “population jihad”, etc.

To change this state of affairs is indeed a long-term project, one that will not be possible unless the majority community learns to critically examine and self-reflect on its many anxieties and insecurities regarding the “Other.”