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.
With the cold blooded killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala and a plane crash in Nepal that claimed 22 lives, the week began on a sombre note for netizens, many of whom fell prey to misinformation surrounding the events. Even as the social media trends gave way to the UPSC 2021 results, confusion regarding the gender of the fourth rank holder resulted in many, including media outlets, wrongly claiming that female candidates secured top 4 positions. This and much more, here are our top 5 fact checks this week:
Gangster Goldy Brar Photographed With Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann? No, Viral Image Shows A Different Person With The Same Name
After Canada based gangster Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the murder of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moose Wala, an image of a tweet by one Goldy Brar, showing Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann with a man wearing glasses and a grey sweater, is going viral on social media. Users who shared the post identified the man seen in the photo as the same gangster Goldy Brar who claimed responsibility for the murder of Sidhu Moose Wala. Newschecker found that the man in the photo is a different person with the same name. Read more here.
Female Candidates Secured Top 4 Ranks In UPSC 2021? No Viral Claim Is Misleading
Soon after the Union Public Service Commission declared the result of the Civil Services Examination on May 30, social media platforms were flooded with messages and posts congratulating the ‘girls who secured the top four ranks’. While the posts hailed women power and celebrated ‘women power’, Newschecker found that the claim is not entirely correct. Aishwarya Verma, the fourth rank holder, is actually a man. Read more here.
Old Image Of IAF Chopper Shared As Tara Air Plane Wreckage In Nepal
Hours after an aircraft operated by private airlines Tara Air went missing with 22 passengers on board, an image purportedly showing the wreckage of the missing aircraft is being widely shared online. We found that the viral image claiming to show the wreckage of the missing Tara Airplane actually shows the Indian Airforce (IAF) Chopper that crashed in Tamil Nadu, India in December 2021 killing the Indian CDS Bipin Rawat and twelve others. Read more here.
Did Pfizer CEO Say His Company Wants To Reduce World’s Population By Half By 2023? No, Viral Video Is Edited
A video of Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla speaking at the World Economic Forum is going viral on social media, along with the claim that the company aims to reduce the population of the world by 50% by 2023. Newschecker’s investigation reveals that the interview of Albert Bourla has been edited to remove the portion which states that his company Pfizer aims to reduce the health inequities in the world by 50% by 2023, which was edited to show that Pfizer aims to reduce the population of the world by 50%. Read more here.
Buddhist-Era Copper Plate Recovered In Ayodhya Excavation? No, Viral claim is False
The recent visit of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to Ayodhya to lay the foundation stone for the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Temple, has once again kindled the online buzz about Ayodhya. It is in this context that several users shared a video of an ‘unboxing’ of what appears to be an ancient scroll, claiming to show a Buddhist relic that was recently discovered from the site. However, Newschecker has found this claim to be false. 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.
