64 pc Indians encounter fake news online: Survey

Author: Web Desk

Fake news continues to be a growing menace in India, which has seen the most number of fake news incidents compared to anywhere else in the world.

A report by Microsoft found that around 64 percent of Indians had encounter fake news, compared to the global average of 57 percent.

Meanwhile, 54 percent of Indian had come across internet hoaxes, in comparison to 50 percent worldwide.

Internet hoaxes in particular have had murderous consequences in India. The standard reported how more than 40 people were killed in the country last year amid a plague of smartphone-fuelled mob murders by ordinary citizens.

Experts said fake WhatsApp warnings about child abductors would whip up fear in communities, leading to brutal lynchings.

It led to WhatsApp enforcing new rules which limited the number of times messages could be forwarded to new people.

The platform is also gearing up for this year’s national elections, the biggest in the world with 800 million eligible to vote. CNN reported how the app is using artificial intelligence to detect accounts which spread “problematic content”.

Meanwhile, the Microsoft report about online interactions in India also found 29 percent of people face “risks” from friends and family, one per cent above the global average.

Share
Leave a Comment

Recent Posts

  • Health

Climate change، growing threat to eradicate polio from the world. WHO

LAHORE: The World Health Organization (WHO) said that climate crisis and its threat to health…

19 mins ago
  • Pakistan

Parliament passes bills on military chiefs tenure extension, SC expansion

The National Assembly on Monday passed six bills, including one seeking an increase in the…

11 hours ago
  • Pakistan

SBP cuts key policy rate by 250bps to 15pc

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) announced on Monday that it had decided to cut…

20 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Verdict reserved on Imran, wife’s bail pleas in 7 cases

The district and sessions court in Islamabad on Monday reserved its verdict on bail pleas…

20 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Six terrorists killed in two KP operations

At least six terrorists were killed by the security forces in two separation operations in…

20 hours ago
  • Pakistan

Punjab has no plan to buy PIA, clarifies minister

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari on Monday said that the provincial government had "no intentions"…

20 hours ago