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.
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.
Claim
Government to charge 18% GST on good morning messages sent on WhatsApp from April 1.
Such posts can be seen here, here, here and here.
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Fact
We looked up “Good morning message,” and “18% GST” on Google, but did not find any credible news reports on the same.
In the initial few frames of the viral footage, the anchor is heard saying phrases such as “the claim says…,” “let’s find out the truth,” which raised our suspicion that the video may have been clipped.
We noticed the watermark on “ABP News” on the top right corner in the viral video.
A keyword search for “ABP News,” “Good morning,” and “GST” on Google yielded a video report by the news outlet March 20, 2018. The report featured a longer version of the viral clip, which shows the news outlets’ fact check of an alleged newspaper report on the government levying 18% GST on WhatsApp good morning messages.
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Its investigation revealed that the report was published in a newspaper on the day of Holi as a satire-humour content. In the full video, the channel concluded that the viral claim of GST on good morning messages is false.
The spokesperson of WhatsApp has also confirmed that the claim regarding GST on good morning messages is not true.
We could thus conclude that a clipped version of a 2018 video report has been shared out of context to falsely claim that the government will levy 18% GST on good morning messages circulated on WhatsApp starting April 1.
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Result: False
Sources
Report By ABP News, Dated March 20, 2018
Clarification By WhatsApp Spokesperson
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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.
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.
