Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
While the discovery of a structure resembling ‘shivling’ at Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque kept the social media platforms abuzz, the flood havoc in Assam also saw a spate of misinformation on social media this past week. From a horrific incident of a 3-year-old being doused with acid in Bangladesh being shared with false communal claim to a video of partially stripped prison inmates in Colombo shared claiming to show the condition of Sri Lankan cabinet ministers amid ongoing economic crisis, here are our top 5 fact checks of this week:
No, Semi Naked Men In Viral Video Are Not Sri Lankan Ministers
A video showing a group of men partially stripped and seemingly pleading in front of a mob is going viral on social media platforms. Those who shared it claimed that the men seen in the video were ministers of the crisis-hit Sri Lankan cabinet, who fell prey to public rage over the economic situation in the country. Newschecker found the claim to be untrue. Read more here.
Incident Of 3-year-old Being Doused With Acid In Bangladesh Had No Communal Angle, Viral Claim Misleading
An image of a toddler besmeared with ointment all over, is being widely shared on social media platforms claiming that the ‘3-year-old was doused with acid by Islamists in Bangladesh’. A Newschecker investigation has found the claim that a 3-year old was doused in acid in Bangladesh by ‘Islamists’, is not true. The matter was a result of a personal dispute, and both the victim and attacker belonged to the same community. Read more here.
Viral Image Of Nandi Statue Is From Maharashtra, Not Kashi Vishwanath Temple
An image claiming to show a statue of Nandi, a sacred bull associated with Hindu Lord Shiva, at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi is going viral on social media platforms after the claims about finding a ‘Shivling’ inside Gyanvapi mosque went rife. Newschecker has found that the statue of Nandi is from a temple in Maharashtra and not from Varanasi’s Kashi Vishwanath temple. Read more here.
Viral Video Of Family Being Washed Away Is Old And Not Related To Assam Floods
Amid the torrential rainfall and flooding in Assam that has reportedly caused at least 9 deaths, a video of a family of three being washed away as they try to cross a bridge has gone viral claiming it to be a recent video recorded in Assam with some captions stating “Present Situation in North East India”. Newschecker found the video to be old and unrelated to the recent floods in Assam. Read more here.
Video Of Bridge Collapse From Indonesia Passed Off As Visuals Of Assam Floods
As torrential rainfall wreaked havoc in Assam, several social media users shared images and videos from the flood-hit state highlighting the severity of the situation and condition of its residents. One such 21-second-long-video claiming to show a bridge collapse in Assam amid massive flooding is doing the rounds on social media platforms. Newschecker found the video to be old and unrelated to the recent floods in the north eastern state. Read more here.
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
