Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
From Sabarimala season resuming to Facebook changing its name to Meta, news has been a happening place these recent days. And you know what that means – the fake news machinery is as active as it can get.
While claims that a UAE based firm was given the tender to manufacture the iconic ‘Aravana Prasadam’ spread like wildfire on social media, the old ‘privacy notice’ hoax of Facebook also saw its revival. And the conspiracy theorists were not to be left behind, claiming that a compound Tromethamine, in Pfizer’s pediatric vaccine dose, is a ‘dangerous drug’ and its presence indicated risk of heart attacks in kids. All these and more, here is a weekly wrap of the top fake news that Newschecker fact checked.
No, Sabarimala’s Aravana Payasam Tender Not Given To UAE Based Firm, Viral Forward Is Misleading
A viral Facebook post claiming that the Kerala government has handed over the tender to manufacture the Aravana Payasam (an offering to the deity at the Sabarimala hill shrine) to a UAE based firm is doing the rounds on social media platforms. The post carries an image of a packaged food material with a label- ‘Aravana Payasam’ & ‘halal’ and additional text in what appears to be Arabic. A quick fact check by Newschecker has revealed that this is fake news, and that the packaged Aravana Payasam is not inteded as the prasadam from the hill shrine, and that the product is sold only among the Keralite diaspora in the middle east. claim is not true and misleading. Read more here
Does Pfizer Vaccine For Kids Have ‘Dangerous Drug’ To Prevent Vaccine Related Heart Attacks? No, Viral Claim Is Misleading
In the latest fake news around COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccination process, a video claiming that Pfizer has added Tromethamine, a ‘dangerous drug’, into its Pfizer vaccine for kids, is widely being shared on social media. The video further claims that Pfizer has done so after receiving the FDA’s approval to counter vaccine related heart attacks in children. A fact check by Newschecker has found the claim to be false. Read more here
No, Meta Is Not Changing Facebook Privacy Policy, Viral ‘Privacy Notice’ Hoax Resurrected
The Facebook ‘privacy notice’ hoax has struck again, this time linked to the recent rebranding of the social media giant as Meta. A viral forward doing the rounds in WhatsApp groups claims that along with the name change, Meta is altering Facebook privacy policy which would allow it to use images and other personal information (including messages that have been deleted) posted by users. The post further urges users to copy-paste a ‘privacy notice’ that states that the user does not consent to their data being used by the company as a preventative measure. Newschecker’s analysis has found that this particular fake news has been doing the rounds since 2012 in various contexts. Read more here
Morphed Image Shared With Viral Claim Alleging NGO Of Opposing Road Work On Indo-China Border
An image showing five women seated under a tree, behind a canvassing desk, and holding up a placard that reads ‘No road on Indo China Border’ has gone viral on Facebook and Twitter, claiming that the NGO ‘Citizens for Green Doon’ has filed a plea demanding the road construction on the Indo-China border be stopped. A fact check by Newschecker has found that the image has been manipulated and the claim is false. Read more here
Video Claiming To Show Electric Scooter Explosion Is Actually From A Firecracker Mishap In TN
A thirty-second video showing a moving two-wheeler exploding into flames is widely being shared on social media claiming to show an electric scooter explosion (scooter with rechargeable battery). Newschecker’s investigation found that the scooter was not an electric scooter explosion, and that the explosion was caused by country-made firecrackers that were being carried, and hence the claim was an attempt to spread fake news. Read more here
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Authors
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
