Kunal Chaturvedi, I, MA, urban policy and governance, TISS, Mumbai
only way to control fake news is by not believing it. Fake news has existed in various forms throughout history, but the recent trend of using it as a deliberate tool for political propaganda, facilitated by the rise of social media. has taken the issue to a dangerous place.
While earlier, fake news was often harmless and at best amusing (Best National Anthem by UN), in recent years, it has become the cause of several violent clashes.
Ankita Mantala, Graduate, 2017, B.A. Political Science, Maitreyi College, Delhi University
Most people are often unwilling to educate themselves on how to distinguish between fake and real news, even when the differences are glaring. Thus, the use of fake news as a deliberate political tool, the ease of circulation through various social media platforms, and the lack of desire among the public to cross-check facts on items that suit their political ideologies, has made the phenomenon increasingly dangerous.
Nini Benny, II, BA Honors, History, St. Stephen's College, Delhi University
Social media has become a prominent part of our lives, and we tend to engage ourselves, without realising its effects on us. While it does enhance political change and is the easiest way of diffusing information, it also adds to the nuisance of circulating fake news and jeopardising authentic specifications and real knowledge. The deceptive information sabotages the trust that people have in the government, which hinders its working.
Himani Bansal, I, MA English, Panjab University
Social media, although a great platform for news, is infamous for circulating fake news. For instance, minutes after demonetisation was announced, fake news that the new currency notes will feature a breakthrough technology to fight against the problem of black money was circulated — it was said that a nano-GPS chip would be embedded in each of the notes, to help the government track them anywhere in the world — even underground. With 160 million monthly users accessing the application, Whatsapp is the easiest grapevine medium for spreading information, both true and false.
