No quick fixes

Only a multi-pronged approach involving all stakeholders will help India combat fake news

Despite how much we are learning about the proliferation of fake news, it continues one of the biggest challenges in modern-day information-sharing. Fake news is now being shared faster than real news and has been especially rampant in India. Further, the omnipresence of WhatsApp in India has intensified the ability for fake news to spread.

According to a study last year, 42 per cent of millennials validate the accuracy of a news story, but only 25 percent of baby boomers and 19 per cent of Gen Xers do the same. Fake news spreads quickly on social media sites such as WhatsApp and Facebook simply because it’s easy to share, but this doesn’t bode well for the reputation of media outlets at large. According to that same survey, 78 per cent said fake news has damaged the credibility of the media industry. And a recent poll showed that public trust in media on a global level is at an all-time low similar trends are evident in India.

What can we do in India to help combat fake news?

One thing is clear: Fake news isn’t going away. But what can businesses and the population at large in India do to combat it, or even manage it? Here are some measures which can work:

Challenge fake news: According to Harvard Kennedy School, calling out fake news in comments on social media can slow down overall sharing of the content and reduce the activity of the individuals who create fake content. Research by Dartmouth College Professor Brendan Nyhan has found that labelling a Facebook post as “disputed” reduces the percentage of readers believing the false news by 10 percentage points.

Flag it to Indian fact-checkers: Hoax-busting web sites such as snopes.com have become more commonplace in the US, and now similar sites such as Social Media Hoax Slayer have popped up in India. Mumbai-based BOOM fact check website, which is certified by the International Fact-Checking Network, runs a WhatsApp helpline where people can send in questions and flag content.

Use available AI technology that spots fake news: Facebook recently announced a partnership with BOOM to help the social network combat the spread of fake news on the site. And ad-blocking technology such as Adblock Plus’s Trusted News extension is being developed to help Internet users spot fake news online. AltNews, an Indian fact-checking web site, announced last year it would start WhatsApp Broadcasts lists to help WhatsApp users identify fake news.

Call for increased journalistic accountability: Stricter guidelines and additional accreditation would make it easier to hold individuals accountable for what they post or disseminate online, and also help stop people from hiding behind fake names when they make offensive comments or engage in prohibited activities.