The Indian government has ordered to block&nbsp;35 YouTube channels and two websites that were said to be running “anti-India propaganda” and spreading fake news “in a coordinated manner”.

These websites and YouTube channels were being operated from Pakistan, the Information and Broadcasting ministry said on Friday.

These websites and channels had a total of 120 million subscribers and were running fake news on&nbsp;former Chief of Defence Staff Late General Bipin Rawat, the ministry stated.

The order was issued on Thursday.

“The YouTube channels, websites, and other social media accounts blocked by the Ministry were used by Pakistan for spreading anti-India fake news about sensitive subjects related to India,” it said in a statement.

“These include topics such as the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations with other countries. It was observed that rampant fake news was spread through the YouTube channels regarding the demise of the former Chief of Defence Staff Late General Bipin Rawat. These YouTube channels had also started posting content to undermine the democratic process of the upcoming elections in five states,” it said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/20-youtube-channels-two-websites-taken-down-under-it-act-for-anti-india-propaganda-report-438631">20 YouTube channels, two websites taken down under IT Act for ‘anti-India’ propaganda: Report</a>

The Indian intelligence agencies were closely monitoring these social media accounts and websites and flagged them to the ministry for immediate action, he added.

"Vide five separate orders issued under rule 16 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Ministry has ordered to block these Pakistan-based social media accounts and websites," the ministry said in a statement later.

Among the channels that were ordered to be blocked include Apni Duniya Network, which was operating 14 YouTube channels, and Talha Films Network operating 13 YouTube channels.

A set of four channels, and a set of two other channels were also found to be acting in synchronization with each other.

“All these networks appeared to be operated with a single goal of spreading fake news oriented towards the Indian audience. The channels which were part of a network used common hashtags and editing styles, were being operated by common persons, and cross promoted each other’s content. Some of the YouTube channels were being operated by anchors of Pakistani TV news channels,” the ministry said.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian government has ordered to block 35 YouTube channels and two websites that were said to be running “anti-India propaganda” and spreading fake news “in a coordinated manner”.

The Indian government has ordered to block 35 YouTube channels and two websites that were said to be running “anti-India propaganda” and spreading fake news “in a coordinated manner”. These websites and YouTube channels were being operated from Pakistan, the Information and Broadcasting ministry said on Friday. These websites and channels had a total of 120 million subscribers and were running fake news on former Chief of Defence Staff Late General Bipin Rawat, the ministry stated. The order was issued on Thursday. “The YouTube channels, websites, and other social media accounts blocked by the Ministry were used by Pakistan for spreading anti-India fake news about sensitive subjects related to India,” it said in a statement. “These include topics such as the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir, and India’s foreign relations with other countries. It was observed that rampant fake news was spread through the YouTube channels regarding the demise of the former Chief of Defence Staff Late General Bipin Rawat. These YouTube channels had also started posting content to undermine the democratic process of the upcoming elections in five states,” it said. Also read | 20 YouTube channels, two websites taken down under IT Act for ‘anti-India’ propaganda: Report The Indian intelligence agencies were closely monitoring these social media accounts and websites and flagged them to the ministry for immediate action, he added. "Vide five separate orders issued under rule 16 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the Ministry has ordered to block these Pakistan-based social media accounts and websites," the ministry said in a statement later. Among the channels that were ordered to be blocked include Apni Duniya Network, which was operating 14 YouTube channels, and Talha Films Network operating 13 YouTube channels. A set of four channels, and a set of two other channels were also found to be acting in synchronization with each other. “All these networks appeared to be operated with a single goal of spreading fake news oriented towards the Indian audience. The channels which were part of a network used common hashtags and editing styles, were being operated by common persons, and cross promoted each other’s content. Some of the YouTube channels were being operated by anchors of Pakistani TV news channels,” the ministry said. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian govt bans 35 YouTube channels, 2 websites for running ‘anti-India’ propaganda

YouTube was urged by more than 80 fact-checking organisations to better combat disinformation. They offered help to debunk false statements. The fact-checkers called YouTube 'one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation'

"Every day, we see that YouTube is one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide," said the groups spanning the globe, from Politifact and the Washington Post in the United States to the Kenya-based Africa Check.

In an open letter, the fact-checking organisations said that videos containing false information had gone "under the radar of YouTube's policies, especially in non-English speaking countries". The open letter was addressed to YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki.

"We urge you to take effective action against disinformation and misinformation... and to do so with the world's independent, non-partisan fact-checking organisations," they added.

"Our experience as fact-checkers together with academic evidence tells us that surfacing fact-checked information is more effective than deleting content."

It also urged the platform to make sure its recommendation algorithm did not actively promote disinformation to its users.

YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez defended the platform, saying that fact checking was a "crucial tool", but just "one piece of a much larger puzzle to address the spread of misinformation".

"Over the years, we've invested heavily in policies and products in all countries... to connect people to authoritative content, reduce the spread of borderline misinformation, and remove violative videos," she added.

She said YouTube had seen "important progress".

(With inputs from agencies)

YouTube was urged by more than 80 fact-checking organisations to better combat disinformation. They offered help to debunk false statements. The fact-checkers called YouTube 'one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation' "Every day, we see that YouTube is one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide," said the groups spanning the globe, from Politifact and the Washington Post in the United States to the Kenya-based Africa Check.

YouTube was urged by more than 80 fact-checking organisations to better combat disinformation. They offered help to debunk false statements. The fact-checkers called YouTube 'one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation' "Every day, we see that YouTube is one of the major conduits of online disinformation and misinformation worldwide," said the groups spanning the globe, from Politifact and the Washington Post in the United States to the Kenya-based Africa Check. In an open letter, the fact-checking organisations said that videos containing false information had gone "under the radar of YouTube's policies, especially in non-English speaking countries". The open letter was addressed to YouTube chief Susan Wojcicki. "We urge you to take effective action against disinformation and misinformation... and to do so with the world's independent, non-partisan fact-checking organisations," they added. "Our experience as fact-checkers together with academic evidence tells us that surfacing fact-checked information is more effective than deleting content." It also urged the platform to make sure its recommendation algorithm did not actively promote disinformation to its users. YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez defended the platform, saying that fact checking was a "crucial tool", but just "one piece of a much larger puzzle to address the spread of misinformation". "Over the years, we've invested heavily in policies and products in all countries... to connect people to authoritative content, reduce the spread of borderline misinformation, and remove violative videos," she added. She said YouTube had seen "important progress". (With inputs from agencies)

YouTube urged by fact-checkers to fight disinformation

India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has banned 20 Pakistani YouTube channels and two websites that were amassing millions of views by peddling fake news about India. Their stories were both outrageous and laughable. Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas: India dismantles Pakistan's fake news network

After more than a week sleeping in a frigid encampment on the border between Belarus and Poland, and an abortive foray across the frontier repelled by pepper spray and police batons, Mohammad Faraj gave up this month and retreated to a warm hotel in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

Soon after, however, he watched with surprise and excitement a video report on Facebook claiming that Poland was about to open its border and urging all those who wanted to enter the European Union to gather at a gas station near the encampment that the migrants had nicknamed “the jungle.”

Faraj, a 35-year-old ethnic Kurd from Iraq, rushed back to the squalid camp he had just left, traveling 190 miles from Minsk to the gas station just in time for the opening of the border in early November that he had heard about on Facebook.

The Polish border, of course, remained tightly shut, and Faraj spent the next 10 days back in what he described as “like something out of a horror movie.”

The EU, offering robust support to Poland’s hard-line stand against migrants, has blamed the traumas of recent weeks on its eastern border on the authoritarian leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.

Belarusian authorities certainly have helped stoke the crisis, offering easy tourist visas to thousands of Iraqis and easing their way to the border with Poland.

But social media, particularly Facebook, also have given Lukashenko a vital assist, as an unpredictable accelerant to the hopes and illusions of people who have fallen prey to the empty promises of profiteers and charlatans on the internet.

Some were in it for money, promising to smuggle migrants across borders for hefty fees; some appeared to bask in the attention they received as online “influencers” for sharing information; others seemed motivated by a genuine desire to help people suffering. There has been no evidence to suggest a coordinated campaign by Lukashenko to target migrants with fake information online.

Fake news on Facebook, said Faraj, who last week was moved from the border encampment along with 2,000 other denizens of “the jungle,” to a giant nearby warehouse converted into a migrant holding center, “poured mud on our heads and destroyed our lives.”

Since July, activity on Facebook in Arabic and Kurdish related to migration to the EU through Belarus has been “skyrocketing,” said Monika Richter, head of research and analysis for Semantic Visions, an intelligence firm that tracked social media activity related to the crisis.

“Facebook exacerbated this humanitarian crisis, and now you have all these people who were brought over and explicitly misled and ripped off,” Richter said.

Researchers said smugglers openly shared their phone numbers and advertised their services on Facebook, including video testimonials from people said to have reached Germany successfully via Belarus and Poland. In one post, a smuggler advertised “daily trips from Minsk to Germany with only a 20 km walking distance.” The journey, a writer warned in another post Oct. 19, is “not suitable for children due to the cold.” Another smuggler with the Facebook username “Visa Visa” pitched trips to Germany from Belarus through Poland. The smuggler said the trip would take eight to 15 hours but added a warning: “Don’t call if you are afraid.”

Friday, despite the bitter experience of so many promises on Facebook that turned out to be false, a ripple of excitement swept across despondent people huddled in the warehouse after reports on social media that it was still possible to get into Europe — for anyone willing to pay $7,000 to a guide who claimed to know any easy route across the Belarus-Poland frontier and through massed ranks of Polish soldiers and border guards on the other side.

Rekar Hamid, a former math teacher in Iraqi Kurdistan who had already paid around $10,000 to travel agents in Iraq for a “package tour” that was supposed to get himself, his wife and young child to Europe but only got them locked up in a warehouse, scoffed at the latest offer as yet another scam. “They keep saying the door is opening, but look where we all are now,” he said, gesturing toward a mass of people huddled on the concrete floor.

Musa Hama, another Kurd from Iraq confined to the warehouse, lamented that no amount of fact-checking would prevent people grasping at straws of hope provided by Facebook. “People are desperate so they believe anything,” he said.

The stampede by migrants to Belarus in the hope of getting into the EU began earlier this year when the authoritarian former Soviet republic relaxed tightfisted visa policies for certain countries, notably Iraq. The relaxation was ostensibly an effort to boost tourism at a time when most Westerners were staying away following a brutal crackdown by Lukashenko in response a contested presidential election.

Sensing a lucrative business opportunity, travel companies in Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdistan Region started advertising on Facebook and other platforms about the availability of visas to Belarus. Smugglers used social media to pitch Belarus as an easy backdoor to Europe.

Since July, Semantic Visions has identified dozens of Facebook groups created to share information about migration routes and used by smugglers to advertise their services.

A private group titled “Migration of the powerful from Belarus to Europe” exploded from 13,600 members in early September to roughly 30,000 currently, according to Semantic Visions. Another group, “Belarus Online,” grew from 7,700 members to 23,700 during the same period. On Telegram, a messaging and chat room platform, channels devoted to Belarus as a route to Europe have also attracted thousands of members.

“Our findings reveal the extent to which social media platforms — particularly Facebook — have been used as a de facto market for smuggling into the European Union,” Semantic Visions concluded in a recent report that has been circulated among EU officials.

Facebook, now officially known as Meta after a corporate name change, said it prohibited material that facilitates or promotes human smuggling and has dedicated teams to monitor and detect material related to the crisis. It added that the company was working with law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to counter the flood of fake news relating to migration.

“People smuggling across international borders is illegal and ads, posts, pages or groups that provide, facilitate or coordinate this activity are not allowed on Facebook,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We remove this content as soon as we become aware of it.”

But the events in Belarus have exposed how, even after Facebook experienced a similar abuse of its services during the European migration crisis in 2015, the company still struggles to keep banned material off its platform, especially in non-English languages.

“Facebook is not taking their responsibility seriously, and as a direct consequence of that we see desperate people in the cold, in the mud, in the forest in Belarus, in a desperate situation, all because they believe the misinformation that was provided to them through Facebook,” said Jeroen Lenaers, a member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands who is a leader on the legislature’s committee that handles migration issues.

It is unclear what, if any, steps Facebook has taken to deal with misleading and potentially dangerous information.

One Kurdish-German influencer widely known online as Karwan Rawanduzy is a popular figure among would-be migrants to Europe, but his online videos and other reports frequently promote bogus stories, like the claim that Poland would open its border in early November.

Rawanduzy’s live posts on a Facebook page named Kurdisch News had more than 100,000 followers before it was disabled in November after the Kurdish-German influencer said a Polish politician had publicly accused him of helping to fuel the crisis. The page also featured videos sent by hungry and cold migrants trapped along the border.

Reached by phone in Hamburg, Germany, Rawanduzy said he was repeating information about pressure on Poland to open the border that he said had been reported by German media. He blamed smugglers and countries including Poland for the misery faced by migrants and that he was simply trying to help the asylum-seekers.

Rawanduzy, 42, describes himself as an immigration activist and a former refugee who left Iraq in 2009, two years after a suicide bombing in Irbil wounded him.

Faraj is still furious that he followed the advice of Rawanduzy, widely known by his first name, Karwan, by rushing from Minsk back to the border. “Everyone knows him, and everyone follows him,” he said. He added: “Karwan tricked us all on Facebook.”

Rawanduzy, who also owns a restaurant, said it was “not for me to feel bad or guilty” about people persuaded by his posts. “It is up to the Iraqi and Kurdish government to feel bad for all the reasons people want to escape.”

After more than a week sleeping in a frigid encampment on the border between Belarus and Poland, and an abortive foray across the frontier repelled by pepper spray and police batons, Mohammad Faraj gave up this month and retreated to a warm hotel in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

After more than a week sleeping in a frigid encampment on the border between Belarus and Poland, and an abortive foray across the frontier repelled by pepper spray and police batons, Mohammad Faraj gave up this month and retreated to a warm hotel in Minsk, the capital of Belarus. Soon after, however, he watched with surprise and excitement a video report on Facebook claiming that Poland was about to open its border and urging all those who wanted to enter the European Union to gather at a gas station near the encampment that the migrants had nicknamed “the jungle.” Faraj, a 35-year-old ethnic Kurd from Iraq, rushed back to the squalid camp he had just left, traveling 190 miles from Minsk to the gas station just in time for the opening of the border in early November that he had heard about on Facebook. The Polish border, of course, remained tightly shut, and Faraj spent the next 10 days back in what he described as “like something out of a horror movie.” The EU, offering robust support to Poland’s hard-line stand against migrants, has blamed the traumas of recent weeks on its eastern border on the authoritarian leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. Belarusian authorities certainly have helped stoke the crisis, offering easy tourist visas to thousands of Iraqis and easing their way to the border with Poland. But social media, particularly Facebook, also have given Lukashenko a vital assist, as an unpredictable accelerant to the hopes and illusions of people who have fallen prey to the empty promises of profiteers and charlatans on the internet. Some were in it for money, promising to smuggle migrants across borders for hefty fees; some appeared to bask in the attention they received as online “influencers” for sharing information; others seemed motivated by a genuine desire to help people suffering. There has been no evidence to suggest a coordinated campaign by Lukashenko to target migrants with fake information online. Fake news on Facebook, said Faraj, who last week was moved from the border encampment along with 2,000 other denizens of “the jungle,” to a giant nearby warehouse converted into a migrant holding center, “poured mud on our heads and destroyed our lives.” Since July, activity on Facebook in Arabic and Kurdish related to migration to the EU through Belarus has been “skyrocketing,” said Monika Richter, head of research and analysis for Semantic Visions, an intelligence firm that tracked social media activity related to the crisis. “Facebook exacerbated this humanitarian crisis, and now you have all these people who were brought over and explicitly misled and ripped off,” Richter said. Researchers said smugglers openly shared their phone numbers and advertised their services on Facebook, including video testimonials from people said to have reached Germany successfully via Belarus and Poland. In one post, a smuggler advertised “daily trips from Minsk to Germany with only a 20 km walking distance.” The journey, a writer warned in another post Oct. 19, is “not suitable for children due to the cold.” Another smuggler with the Facebook username “Visa Visa” pitched trips to Germany from Belarus through Poland. The smuggler said the trip would take eight to 15 hours but added a warning: “Don’t call if you are afraid.” Friday, despite the bitter experience of so many promises on Facebook that turned out to be false, a ripple of excitement swept across despondent people huddled in the warehouse after reports on social media that it was still possible to get into Europe — for anyone willing to pay $7,000 to a guide who claimed to know any easy route across the Belarus-Poland frontier and through massed ranks of Polish soldiers and border guards on the other side. Rekar Hamid, a former math teacher in Iraqi Kurdistan who had already paid around $10,000 to travel agents in Iraq for a “package tour” that was supposed to get himself, his wife and young child to Europe but only got them locked up in a warehouse, scoffed at the latest offer as yet another scam. “They keep saying the door is opening, but look where we all are now,” he said, gesturing toward a mass of people huddled on the concrete floor. Musa Hama, another Kurd from Iraq confined to the warehouse, lamented that no amount of fact-checking would prevent people grasping at straws of hope provided by Facebook. “People are desperate so they believe anything,” he said. The stampede by migrants to Belarus in the hope of getting into the EU began earlier this year when the authoritarian former Soviet republic relaxed tightfisted visa policies for certain countries, notably Iraq. The relaxation was ostensibly an effort to boost tourism at a time when most Westerners were staying away following a brutal crackdown by Lukashenko in response a contested presidential election. Sensing a lucrative business opportunity, travel companies in Iraq’s semiautonomous Kurdistan Region started advertising on Facebook and other platforms about the availability of visas to Belarus. Smugglers used social media to pitch Belarus as an easy backdoor to Europe. Since July, Semantic Visions has identified dozens of Facebook groups created to share information about migration routes and used by smugglers to advertise their services. A private group titled “Migration of the powerful from Belarus to Europe” exploded from 13,600 members in early September to roughly 30,000 currently, according to Semantic Visions. Another group, “Belarus Online,” grew from 7,700 members to 23,700 during the same period. On Telegram, a messaging and chat room platform, channels devoted to Belarus as a route to Europe have also attracted thousands of members. “Our findings reveal the extent to which social media platforms — particularly Facebook — have been used as a de facto market for smuggling into the European Union,” Semantic Visions concluded in a recent report that has been circulated among EU officials. Facebook, now officially known as Meta after a corporate name change, said it prohibited material that facilitates or promotes human smuggling and has dedicated teams to monitor and detect material related to the crisis. It added that the company was working with law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to counter the flood of fake news relating to migration. “People smuggling across international borders is illegal and ads, posts, pages or groups that provide, facilitate or coordinate this activity are not allowed on Facebook,” the company said in an emailed statement. “We remove this content as soon as we become aware of it.” But the events in Belarus have exposed how, even after Facebook experienced a similar abuse of its services during the European migration crisis in 2015, the company still struggles to keep banned material off its platform, especially in non-English languages. “Facebook is not taking their responsibility seriously, and as a direct consequence of that we see desperate people in the cold, in the mud, in the forest in Belarus, in a desperate situation, all because they believe the misinformation that was provided to them through Facebook,” said Jeroen Lenaers, a member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands who is a leader on the legislature’s committee that handles migration issues. It is unclear what, if any, steps Facebook has taken to deal with misleading and potentially dangerous information. One Kurdish-German influencer widely known online as Karwan Rawanduzy is a popular figure among would-be migrants to Europe, but his online videos and other reports frequently promote bogus stories, like the claim that Poland would open its border in early November. Rawanduzy’s live posts on a Facebook page named Kurdisch News had more than 100,000 followers before it was disabled in November after the Kurdish-German influencer said a Polish politician had publicly accused him of helping to fuel the crisis. The page also featured videos sent by hungry and cold migrants trapped along the border. Reached by phone in Hamburg, Germany, Rawanduzy said he was repeating information about pressure on Poland to open the border that he said had been reported by German media. He blamed smugglers and countries including Poland for the misery faced by migrants and that he was simply trying to help the asylum-seekers. Rawanduzy, 42, describes himself as an immigration activist and a former refugee who left Iraq in 2009, two years after a suicide bombing in Irbil wounded him. Faraj is still furious that he followed the advice of Rawanduzy, widely known by his first name, Karwan, by rushing from Minsk back to the border. “Everyone knows him, and everyone follows him,” he said. He added: “Karwan tricked us all on Facebook.” Rawanduzy, who also owns a restaurant, said it was “not for me to feel bad or guilty” about people persuaded by his posts. “It is up to the Iraqi and Kurdish government to feel bad for all the reasons people want to escape.”

How fake news on Facebook helped fuel a border crisis in Europe

President Moon Jae-in and his Democratic Party in South Korea have spent months vowing to stamp out what they have called fake news in the media. But lawmakers had to postpone a vote on a new bill this week when they encountered a problem: no one can agree on exactly how to do it.

Moon’s party, which controls a majority in the parliament, submitted the bill in August, touting it as one of the last major reforms of his administration before his five-year term ends in May. The bill triggered an outcry from domestic media and international rights groups that warned it would discourage journalists from investigating corruption scandals and would have a chilling effect on press freedoms.

The proliferation of unverified news reports is not unique to South Korea. As more people consume news online, often taking what they find on social media to be truthful and reliable, the problem of misinformation has become global, deepening political divides and complicating efforts to preserve election integrity and fight the pandemic. But government attempts to stem the flow of misinformation have raised questions about free speech, censorship and democratic backsliding.

Hardly a day passes without newspapers and social media accounts in South Korea carrying poorly sourced reports of corruption that candidates in next year’s presidential race have called “fake news.” The fight intensified after Cho Kuk, a key ally of Moon, resigned as justice minister in 2019 amid allegations of ethical lapses and financial wrongdoing by his family. The scandal rocked Moon’s administration, and Cho’s supporters and critics heatedly accused each other of spreading false information to influence public opinion.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-surpasses-700000-covid-deaths-as-california-schools-make-vaccines-compulsory-417519">Also read |&nbsp;US surpasses 700,000 Covid deaths as California schools make vaccines compulsory</a>

Moon said last week that the country needed a stronger ​measure to fight the “fake news and false reporting that has caused much harm to the state and individuals.” He then began distancing himself from the bill after concerns were raised at home and abroad.

Journalists’ unions in South Korea, which are usually sympathetic toward Moon’s liberal government, have criticized the bill. The main conservative opposition​, the​ People Power Party​, called it a “dictatorial” attempt by Moon’s government to muzzle unfriendly media.

Domestic media and international rights groups have also spoken out against it, warning that the bill’s fuzzy definitions of “untrue reports,” “harm” and malicious “intent” would lead to self-censorship among journalists and limit the publication of unpopular and minority opinions.

Moon’s party has pushed a slate of recent bills aimed at stamping out misinformation, including false narratives about sensitive historical topics. Some of the bills have already become law.

The bill that was postponed this week targeted print, online and broadcast news media. It proposed a revision to South Korea’s Press Arbitration Act ​that would allow local courts to impose punitive damages on media outlets that publish false news “by intent or through grave negligence” or that infringes on personal rights, causes property damage or inflicts psychological distress.

The bill called for punitive damages that amount to up to five times the actual loss caused by the false news report. Moon’s party hoped the hefty financial penalties would force media outlets to take the fact-checking process more seriously.

“Disproportionate sanctions such as heavy fines can have a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression in South Korea, which is already constrained by criminal defamation laws that should be abolished,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement.

Speaking to journalists last week, Irene Khan, the United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, voiced concerns that the amendment vaguely defined “fake news” and that offenders would face a “disproportionate” penalty.

On Tuesday night, Moon’s party recognised that the bill was too risky to pass as it was. Lawmakers agreed to shelve the bill and allow the opposing parties to continue to negotiate until the end of the year.

Even before the new bill had been introduced, victims of false news reports in South Korea were able to seek remedies, including corrections and compensation. They could also sue news organizations for defamation, which is a criminal offense in the country. Supporters of the new bill said that the financial penalties in South Korea had been too small.

Between 2009 and 2018, 2,220 lawsuits were filed seeking compensation over false news. Less than 40% of them resulted in financial settlements, which averaged $16,600, according to data from the country’s Press Arbitration Commission. Nearly half of the victims who won settlements were ​paid $4,260 or less.

In a survey last year by Media Today, an online news publication, four-fifths of the 1,000 respondents supported​ imposing punitive damages against media outlets​ for publishing misinformation​.

News organizations have complained that the new bill will allow courts to take an organization’s revenue into account when awarding damages, which means bigger and more influential mainstream broadcasters and newspapers with the resources to do investigative work would likely face the most severe damages.

Moon’s governing camp has been in an acrimonious relationship with South Korea’s largest newspapers for some time. The newspapers, which are all conservative, have been highly critical of the policies and scandals surrounding Moon’s administration.

On Tuesday, the governing party swore that it has not given up on severe punitive damages for publishing misinformation.

“We can no longer pretend that there is nothing wrong when irresponsible news reporting drives businesses to bankruptcy and ruins the lives and reputation of individuals,” Song Young-Gil, head of the party, said in August. He said likening the bill to “gagging the press” was tantamount to “demanding the right to publish fake and manipulated news.”

President Moon Jae-in and his Democratic Party in South Korea have spent months vowing to stamp out what they have called fake news in the media. But lawmakers had to postpone a vote on a new bill this week when they encountered a problem: no one can agree on exactly how to do it.

President Moon Jae-in and his Democratic Party in South Korea have spent months vowing to stamp out what they have called fake news in the media. But lawmakers had to postpone a vote on a new bill this week when they encountered a problem: no one can agree on exactly how to do it. Moon’s party, which controls a majority in the parliament, submitted the bill in August, touting it as one of the last major reforms of his administration before his five-year term ends in May. The bill triggered an outcry from domestic media and international rights groups that warned it would discourage journalists from investigating corruption scandals and would have a chilling effect on press freedoms. The proliferation of unverified news reports is not unique to South Korea. As more people consume news online, often taking what they find on social media to be truthful and reliable, the problem of misinformation has become global, deepening political divides and complicating efforts to preserve election integrity and fight the pandemic. But government attempts to stem the flow of misinformation have raised questions about free speech, censorship and democratic backsliding. Hardly a day passes without newspapers and social media accounts in South Korea carrying poorly sourced reports of corruption that candidates in next year’s presidential race have called “fake news.” The fight intensified after Cho Kuk, a key ally of Moon, resigned as justice minister in 2019 amid allegations of ethical lapses and financial wrongdoing by his family. The scandal rocked Moon’s administration, and Cho’s supporters and critics heatedly accused each other of spreading false information to influence public opinion. Also read | US surpasses 700,000 Covid deaths as California schools make vaccines compulsory Moon said last week that the country needed a stronger measure to fight the “fake news and false reporting that has caused much harm to the state and individuals.” He then began distancing himself from the bill after concerns were raised at home and abroad. Journalists’ unions in South Korea, which are usually sympathetic toward Moon’s liberal government, have criticized the bill. The main conservative opposition, the People Power Party, called it a “dictatorial” attempt by Moon’s government to muzzle unfriendly media. Domestic media and international rights groups have also spoken out against it, warning that the bill’s fuzzy definitions of “untrue reports,” “harm” and malicious “intent” would lead to self-censorship among journalists and limit the publication of unpopular and minority opinions. Moon’s party has pushed a slate of recent bills aimed at stamping out misinformation, including false narratives about sensitive historical topics. Some of the bills have already become law. The bill that was postponed this week targeted print, online and broadcast news media. It proposed a revision to South Korea’s Press Arbitration Act that would allow local courts to impose punitive damages on media outlets that publish false news “by intent or through grave negligence” or that infringes on personal rights, causes property damage or inflicts psychological distress. The bill called for punitive damages that amount to up to five times the actual loss caused by the false news report. Moon’s party hoped the hefty financial penalties would force media outlets to take the fact-checking process more seriously. “Disproportionate sanctions such as heavy fines can have a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression in South Korea, which is already constrained by criminal defamation laws that should be abolished,” Human Rights Watch said in a statement. Speaking to journalists last week, Irene Khan, the United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion, voiced concerns that the amendment vaguely defined “fake news” and that offenders would face a “disproportionate” penalty. On Tuesday night, Moon’s party recognised that the bill was too risky to pass as it was. Lawmakers agreed to shelve the bill and allow the opposing parties to continue to negotiate until the end of the year. Even before the new bill had been introduced, victims of false news reports in South Korea were able to seek remedies, including corrections and compensation. They could also sue news organizations for defamation, which is a criminal offense in the country. Supporters of the new bill said that the financial penalties in South Korea had been too small. Between 2009 and 2018, 2,220 lawsuits were filed seeking compensation over false news. Less than 40% of them resulted in financial settlements, which averaged $16,600, according to data from the country’s Press Arbitration Commission. Nearly half of the victims who won settlements were paid $4,260 or less. In a survey last year by Media Today, an online news publication, four-fifths of the 1,000 respondents supported imposing punitive damages against media outlets for publishing misinformation. News organizations have complained that the new bill will allow courts to take an organization’s revenue into account when awarding damages, which means bigger and more influential mainstream broadcasters and newspapers with the resources to do investigative work would likely face the most severe damages. Moon’s governing camp has been in an acrimonious relationship with South Korea’s largest newspapers for some time. The newspapers, which are all conservative, have been highly critical of the policies and scandals surrounding Moon’s administration. On Tuesday, the governing party swore that it has not given up on severe punitive damages for publishing misinformation. “We can no longer pretend that there is nothing wrong when irresponsible news reporting drives businesses to bankruptcy and ruins the lives and reputation of individuals,” Song Young-Gil, head of the party, said in August. He said likening the bill to “gagging the press” was tantamount to “demanding the right to publish fake and manipulated news.”

South Korea shelves ‘Fake News’ bill amid international outcry

Experts from Nutrition International, a Canadian not-for-profit&nbsp;organisation,&nbsp;emphasised&nbsp;that a mother’s breastmilk is like a vaccination that nourishes the baby lifelong. They say, it builds immunity and cognition, reduces the risk of stunting and protects the baby from diseases. It is naturally fortified with nutrients and antibodies,&nbsp;making it even more important in COVID-19 times to protect both babies and mothers, says the&nbsp;organisation. They also highlight the need to debunk the myths surrounding breast-feeding amid the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

On the sidelines of World Breastfeeding week (that is observed during the first week of August), they said that COVID-19 has disrupted services&nbsp;being&nbsp;provided&nbsp;by&nbsp;Anganwadis, heath sub-centers, besides a reduction in institutional deliveries. As a result, there is a decline in&nbsp;important pre-birth and post-birth services, counselling of pregnant, lactating women and weighing of children.&nbsp;

It is pointed out that the fear of COVID-19 infection transmission (via breastmilk) and rumors in this regard are discouraging the practice. Inadequate maternity leave legislation, unregulated and inappropriate marketing activities within the breastmilk substitute industry,&nbsp;etc&nbsp;are also stated as reasons that have caused a decline.&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to Mini Varghese, Country Director, India, Nutrition International, ensuring the implementation of breast-feeding within one hour of birth during all institutional deliveries will be an important step towards achieving the target.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On the myths and its detrimental effects of&nbsp;breast-feeding, Anganwadi Worker, Nidhi Shrivastav from Madhya Pradesh says, COVID-19 positive mothers, who give birth, refuse to breastfeed as they fear passing on COVID-19 infection to their babies. “However, we work on counselling these new mothers and their families on the lifesaving benefits of breast-feeding. We also encourage them to take precautions such as washing their hands, wearing masks and&nbsp;sanitising&nbsp;surfaces for safe breastfeeding practices,” she adds.&nbsp;

Nutrition International says that, despite breast-feeding being cost-effective, baby food companies continue to attack and replace&nbsp;it&nbsp;with their products. It also makes a mention of World Health Assembly (WHA) endorsing the "International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes”, that&nbsp;recognises&nbsp;commercial marketing of baby foods as harmful to the health of infants. In India, the Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992, and Amendment Act 2003 (IMS Act) bans all forms of promotion of foods marketed to children up to two years of age, says the&nbsp;organisation.&nbsp;

“While India has a law to protect breast-feeding, it needs action for enforcement,”&nbsp;says Mini Varghese. She adds that the concerned stakeholders including professional associations need to come forward to support the government to ensure that the IMS Act is implemented in its true spirit.&nbsp;

Experts from Nutrition International, a Canadian not-for-profit organisation, emphasised that a mother’s breastmilk is like a vaccination that nourishes the baby lifelong.

Experts from Nutrition International, a Canadian not-for-profit organisation, emphasised that a mother’s breastmilk is like a vaccination that nourishes the baby lifelong. They say, it builds immunity and cognition, reduces the risk of stunting and protects the baby from diseases. It is naturally fortified with nutrients and antibodies, making it even more important in COVID-19 times to protect both babies and mothers, says the organisation. They also highlight the need to debunk the myths surrounding breast-feeding amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On the sidelines of World Breastfeeding week (that is observed during the first week of August), they said that COVID-19 has disrupted services being provided by Anganwadis, heath sub-centers, besides a reduction in institutional deliveries. As a result, there is a decline in important pre-birth and post-birth services, counselling of pregnant, lactating women and weighing of children. It is pointed out that the fear of COVID-19 infection transmission (via breastmilk) and rumors in this regard are discouraging the practice. Inadequate maternity leave legislation, unregulated and inappropriate marketing activities within the breastmilk substitute industry, etc are also stated as reasons that have caused a decline. According to Mini Varghese, Country Director, India, Nutrition International, ensuring the implementation of breast-feeding within one hour of birth during all institutional deliveries will be an important step towards achieving the target. On the myths and its detrimental effects of breast-feeding, Anganwadi Worker, Nidhi Shrivastav from Madhya Pradesh says, COVID-19 positive mothers, who give birth, refuse to breastfeed as they fear passing on COVID-19 infection to their babies. “However, we work on counselling these new mothers and their families on the lifesaving benefits of breast-feeding. We also encourage them to take precautions such as washing their hands, wearing masks and sanitising surfaces for safe breastfeeding practices,” she adds. Nutrition International says that, despite breast-feeding being cost-effective, baby food companies continue to attack and replace it with their products. It also makes a mention of World Health Assembly (WHA) endorsing the "International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes”, that recognises commercial marketing of baby foods as harmful to the health of infants. In India, the Infant Milk Substitutes Feeding Bottles, and Infant Foods (Regulation of Production, Supply and Distribution) Act 1992, and Amendment Act 2003 (IMS Act) bans all forms of promotion of foods marketed to children up to two years of age, says the organisation. “While India has a law to protect breast-feeding, it needs action for enforcement,” says Mini Varghese. She adds that the concerned stakeholders including professional associations need to come forward to support the government to ensure that the IMS Act is implemented in its true spirit.

‘Must debunk fake news, myths on breast-feeding causing COVID-19' 

White House says Facebook and others are not doing enough to push back on fake news, as a spike in COVID-19 deaths is exclusively hitting the unvaccinated. Many people in the US are refuse vaccinations despite easy availability.

Joe Biden: COVID misinformation killing people

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/facebook">Facebook</a> posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.

The chief, Brian Buglio of the West Hazleton Police Department, made the threats in March 2020 to a private citizen, telling the person that he would pursue felony charges in retaliation for several social media posts that were directed at him and the police, authorities said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-lifts-ban-on-lab-leak-posts-as-us-investigates-origin-of-coronavirus-387899" hreflang="en">Facebook lifts ban on 'lab leak' posts as US investigates origin of coronavirus</a>

The person agreed at the time to remove the posts from Facebook and to refrain from making future comments about Buglio and the police, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

"During the meeting, Brian Buglio acknowledged that the threatened felony charges lacked merit," federal prosecutors said in the criminal complaint, adding that Buglio and the person had shaken hands over the "deal".

Buglio, 45, of Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into the plea agreement, according to a copy of that agreement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/australias-nine-entertainment-signs-content-deal-with-facebook-google-388695" hreflang="en">Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google</a>

A lawyer for Buglio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night.

Federal prosecutors said that the FBI’s public corruption task force had investigated the case.

Authorities did not identify the person whom the chief threatened to have arrested, but the television station WNEP reported that it was a man who lives in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Efforts to reach him Tuesday night were not successful. The station reported that the man had said that the chief told him that since the man liked to post fake stories, he could make up a fake arrest.

Buglio’s current employment status was not immediately clear.

The mayor of West Hazleton, a borough of fewer than 5,000 people about 45 minutes southwest of Scranton, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at the home of the borough manager hung up when contacted Tuesday night.

Buglio could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the plea agreement.

According to the borough’s website, the West Hazleton Police Department has four full-time and four part-time police officers. Buglio has been employed by the Police Department since 1996 and became a police officer in 1995, the website says.

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted Facebook posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation.

A police chief in Pennsylvania who threatened a critic with false arrest unless the person deleted Facebook posts attacking him has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation. The chief, Brian Buglio of the West Hazleton Police Department, made the threats in March 2020 to a private citizen, telling the person that he would pursue felony charges in retaliation for several social media posts that were directed at him and the police, authorities said. Also read | Facebook lifts ban on 'lab leak' posts as US investigates origin of coronavirus The person agreed at the time to remove the posts from Facebook and to refrain from making future comments about Buglio and the police, according to a criminal complaint that was filed Thursday in federal court in Scranton, Pennsylvania. "During the meeting, Brian Buglio acknowledged that the threatened felony charges lacked merit," federal prosecutors said in the criminal complaint, adding that Buglio and the person had shaken hands over the "deal". Buglio, 45, of Lattimer Mines, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty Friday to one count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law and agreed to resign within 10 days of entering into the plea agreement, according to a copy of that agreement. Also read | Australia's Nine Entertainment signs content deal with Facebook, Google A lawyer for Buglio did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday night. Federal prosecutors said that the FBI’s public corruption task force had investigated the case. Authorities did not identify the person whom the chief threatened to have arrested, but the television station WNEP reported that it was a man who lives in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Efforts to reach him Tuesday night were not successful. The station reported that the man had said that the chief told him that since the man liked to post fake stories, he could make up a fake arrest. Buglio’s current employment status was not immediately clear. The mayor of West Hazleton, a borough of fewer than 5,000 people about 45 minutes southwest of Scranton, did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday night. A person who answered the phone at the home of the borough manager hung up when contacted Tuesday night. Buglio could face up to a year in prison and a $100,000 fine, according to the plea agreement. According to the borough’s website, the West Hazleton Police Department has four full-time and four part-time police officers. Buglio has been employed by the Police Department since 1996 and became a police officer in 1995, the website says.

Police chief who threatened Facebook critic with false arrest pleads guilty

In the post-truth era, misinformation dictates content on social media platforms. Mega-companies like Twitter and Facebook have largely been unable to keep up with the circulation of manipulated information. Now, Twitter will mark user tweets based on the accuracy of information it claims to represent.&nbsp;

Part of this initiative will include a three-tiered labelling mechanism whereby the veracity of one’s claims will reflect in those labels. The labels are not arbitrary and are expected to change essentially based on how wrong one is.

Application researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who is known for unveiling upcoming features before they go live recently shared a glimpse of how the labelling system will operate.

Based on Wong’s revelations, it appears that the three-tier system will have the following labels “Get the latest,” “Stay Informed,” and “Misleading”, with these subject to change as the information is updated.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Twitter is working on three levels of misinformation warning labels: 
 
“Get the latest”, “Stay Informed” and “Misleading” <a href="https://t.co/0RdmMsRAEk">pic.twitter.com/0RdmMsRAEk</a>
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) <a href="https://twitter.com/wongmjane/status/1399311420794105862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

“Get the latest” will basically imply that the information in a particular Tweet appears to be correct and the link will direct the user to further information.&nbsp;“Stay informed” would suggest some sort of factual inconsistency, with a label redirecting people to verified sources or to Twitter’s own&nbsp;resources.

The third label “Misleading” will warn users against misinformation and factually incorrect claims on the website marred with rampant fake news.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/russia-fines-twitter-19-million-roubles-for-failing-to-delete-content-387876" hreflang="en">Russia fines Twitter 19 million roubles for failing to delete content</a>

Even then, this brings to fore the question of censorship and whether Twitter can accurately differentiate misinformation from factually correct information.&nbsp;

It is unclear when the feature will be rolled out and whether it will even see the light of day. But Wong's claims have proven to be right in the recent weeks, with the reintroduction of the verification programme and its Tip Jar feature to assist with content monetisation.

In the recent weeks, social media companies have been accused of stifling pro-Palestine voices amid the fatal conflict with Israel and the role played by social media companies in amplifying and stifling certain narratives is becoming increasingly questionable.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/india-news/india-slams-twitters-concerns-over-threat-to-free-speech-387864" hreflang="en">India slams Twitter's concerns over threat to free speech</a>

In the post-truth era, misinformation dictates content on social media platforms. Mega-companies like Twitter and Facebook have largely been unable to keep up with the circulation of manipulated information.

In the post-truth era, misinformation dictates content on social media platforms. Mega-companies like Twitter and Facebook have largely been unable to keep up with the circulation of manipulated information. Now, Twitter will mark user tweets based on the accuracy of information it claims to represent. Part of this initiative will include a three-tiered labelling mechanism whereby the veracity of one’s claims will reflect in those labels. The labels are not arbitrary and are expected to change essentially based on how wrong one is. Application researcher Jane Manchun Wong, who is known for unveiling upcoming features before they go live recently shared a glimpse of how the labelling system will operate. Based on Wong’s revelations, it appears that the three-tier system will have the following labels “Get the latest,” “Stay Informed,” and “Misleading”, with these subject to change as the information is updated. Twitter is working on three levels of misinformation warning labels: “Get the latest”, “Stay Informed” and “Misleading” pic.twitter.com/0RdmMsRAEk — Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 31, 2021 × “Get the latest” will basically imply that the information in a particular Tweet appears to be correct and the link will direct the user to further information. “Stay informed” would suggest some sort of factual inconsistency, with a label redirecting people to verified sources or to Twitter’s own resources. The third label “Misleading” will warn users against misinformation and factually incorrect claims on the website marred with rampant fake news. Also read: Russia fines Twitter 19 million roubles for failing to delete content Even then, this brings to fore the question of censorship and whether Twitter can accurately differentiate misinformation from factually correct information. It is unclear when the feature will be rolled out and whether it will even see the light of day. But Wong's claims have proven to be right in the recent weeks, with the reintroduction of the verification programme and its Tip Jar feature to assist with content monetisation. In the recent weeks, social media companies have been accused of stifling pro-Palestine voices amid the fatal conflict with Israel and the role played by social media companies in amplifying and stifling certain narratives is becoming increasingly questionable. Also read: India slams Twitter's concerns over threat to free speech

Twitter is working on a three-tier labelling mechanism to fight misinformation. Here's how it'll work

Popular search engine, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/google">Google</a>, is set to launch new features to make sure fake news is not circulated through the platform anymore.

The tech giant will be releasing an ‘About this Result’ in the search feature of the platform which will show fact-checked result cards.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/google-looks-to-share-a-glimpse-of-future-385990" hreflang="en">Google looks to share a glimpse of future</a>

This fact-checking will not be done by Google itself. Instead, it will be taking the help of third-party services such as PolitiFact and Snope.

These cards will also show information about the company, statement, and person by linking its Wikipedia page to it. As soon as the user searches for something, the search results will also include a little about how the website (showing the result) describes itself and what is the assessment of the third-party fact-checkers on it.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/groom-almost-marries-wrong-woman-after-google-maps-takes-him-to-wrong-venue-376813" hreflang="en">Groom almost marries wrong woman after Google Maps takes him to wrong venue</a>

The feature was announced in the Google I/O developer's conference&nbsp;keynote on Tuesday. Google experts are hoping this will help users make an informed decision, before sharing or believing the specific piece of news or claim.

"Even though differing conclusions may be presented, we think it’s still helpful for people to understand the degree of consensus around a particular claim and have clear information on which sources agree," Google said in a blog statement.

The feature has been announced a few weeks after Google vowed to curb spread of fake news.

Popular search engine, Google, is set to launch new features to make sure fake news is not circulated through the platform anymore. The tech giant will be releasing an ‘About this Result’ in the search feature of the platform which will show fact-checked result cards.

Popular search engine, Google, is set to launch new features to make sure fake news is not circulated through the platform anymore. The tech giant will be releasing an ‘About this Result’ in the search feature of the platform which will show fact-checked result cards. Also read | Google looks to share a glimpse of future This fact-checking will not be done by Google itself. Instead, it will be taking the help of third-party services such as PolitiFact and Snope. These cards will also show information about the company, statement, and person by linking its Wikipedia page to it. As soon as the user searches for something, the search results will also include a little about how the website (showing the result) describes itself and what is the assessment of the third-party fact-checkers on it. Also read | Groom almost marries wrong woman after Google Maps takes him to wrong venue The feature was announced in the Google I/O developer's conference keynote on Tuesday. Google experts are hoping this will help users make an informed decision, before sharing or believing the specific piece of news or claim. "Even though differing conclusions may be presented, we think it’s still helpful for people to understand the degree of consensus around a particular claim and have clear information on which sources agree," Google said in a blog statement. The feature has been announced a few weeks after Google vowed to curb spread of fake news.

About this result: Google set to roll out new feature to stop fake news

With Germany's Green party leading the polls ahead of September's general&nbsp;elections, the ecologists' would-be successor to Angela Merkel has become increasingly&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;by internet trolls and&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news in recent weeks.

From wild claims about CO2-emitting cats and dogs to George Soros photo collages, 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock has been the subject of a dizzying array of&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news, conspiracy theories and online attacks since she was announced as the&nbsp;Greens' chancellor candidate in mid-April.&nbsp;

The latest polls have the&nbsp;Greens&nbsp;either ahead of or level with Merkel's ruling conservatives, as the once fringe party further establishes itself as a leading electoral force in Europe's biggest economy.

Baerbock herself also consistently polls higher than her conservative and centre-left rivals in the race to succeed Merkel, who will leave office after 16 years this autumn.

Yet her popularity has also brought about unwanted attention and a glut of&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news stories aimed at discrediting Baerbock as she bids to become Germany's first Green chancellor.

False claims&nbsp;

Among the false stories circulating about Baerbock is the bizarre claim that she wants to ban household pets in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.&nbsp;

Another&nbsp;fake&nbsp;story firmly denied by the party claimed that she defied rules on mask-wearing and social-distancing by embracing colleagues upon her nomination earlier this month.

Baerbock has also been presented as a "model student" of Hungarian billionaire George Soros, a hate figure for the European far-right and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists, in a mocked-up social media graphic, shared among others by a far-right MP.

More serious online attacks include a purported photo of Baerbock which in fact shows a similar-looking naked model.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;Greens' campaign manager Michael Kellner said that the attempts to discredit Baerbock had "taken on a&nbsp;new&nbsp;dimension", that "women are&nbsp;targeted&nbsp;more heavily by online attacks than men, and that is also true of our candidate".&nbsp;

Other false claims about the party include reports of a proposed ban on barbecues, as well as plans to disarm the police and enforce the teaching of the Quran in schools.&nbsp;

While such reports are patently absurd, they are potentially damaging to Baerbock and her party as they bid to spring a surprise victory in September.

"She has a very real chance, but the coming weeks are going to be very important because Baerbock's public image is still taking shape," Thorsten Faas, a political scientist&nbsp;at Berlin's Free University told AFP.

In a bid to fight back against the flood of false information, the party has launched a&nbsp;new&nbsp;"online fire service" to report&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news stories.&nbsp;

Russian disinformation&nbsp;

Yet stemming the tide is no easy job, with many of those who peddle disinformation now using private messaging services such as WhatsApp and Telegram rather than public platforms such as Facebook.

The pandemic and ongoing restrictions on public life will also make it harder for the campaign to push through their own narratives at public events.&nbsp;

Miro Dittrich of Germany's Amadeu-Antonio anti-racism foundation claims that lockdown has "played a role" in the spread of&nbsp;fake&nbsp;news.&nbsp;

"People are isolated from their social environment and are spending a lot more time online," he said.&nbsp;

Another factor is Russia, which has made Germany a primary target of its efforts to spread disinformation in Europe.&nbsp;

According to the European anti-disinformation platform EUvsDisinfo, Germany has been the target of 700 Russian disinformation cases since 2015, compared to 300 aimed at France and 170 at Italy.&nbsp;

As an outspoken critic of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Germany and Russia, Baerbock may well become a target of such attacks during the&nbsp;election&nbsp;campaign.

With Germany's Green party leading the polls ahead of September's general elections, the ecologists' would-be successor to Angela Merkel has become increasingly targeted by internet trolls and fake news in recent weeks.

With Germany's Green party leading the polls ahead of September's general elections, the ecologists' would-be successor to Angela Merkel has become increasingly targeted by internet trolls and fake news in recent weeks. From wild claims about CO2-emitting cats and dogs to George Soros photo collages, 40-year-old Annalena Baerbock has been the subject of a dizzying array of fake news, conspiracy theories and online attacks since she was announced as the Greens' chancellor candidate in mid-April. The latest polls have the Greens either ahead of or level with Merkel's ruling conservatives, as the once fringe party further establishes itself as a leading electoral force in Europe's biggest economy. Baerbock herself also consistently polls higher than her conservative and centre-left rivals in the race to succeed Merkel, who will leave office after 16 years this autumn. Yet her popularity has also brought about unwanted attention and a glut of fake news stories aimed at discrediting Baerbock as she bids to become Germany's first Green chancellor. False claims Among the false stories circulating about Baerbock is the bizarre claim that she wants to ban household pets in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Another fake story firmly denied by the party claimed that she defied rules on mask-wearing and social-distancing by embracing colleagues upon her nomination earlier this month. Baerbock has also been presented as a "model student" of Hungarian billionaire George Soros, a hate figure for the European far-right and anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists, in a mocked-up social media graphic, shared among others by a far-right MP. More serious online attacks include a purported photo of Baerbock which in fact shows a similar-looking naked model. The Greens' campaign manager Michael Kellner said that the attempts to discredit Baerbock had "taken on a new dimension", that "women are targeted more heavily by online attacks than men, and that is also true of our candidate". Other false claims about the party include reports of a proposed ban on barbecues, as well as plans to disarm the police and enforce the teaching of the Quran in schools. While such reports are patently absurd, they are potentially damaging to Baerbock and her party as they bid to spring a surprise victory in September. "She has a very real chance, but the coming weeks are going to be very important because Baerbock's public image is still taking shape," Thorsten Faas, a political scientist at Berlin's Free University told AFP. In a bid to fight back against the flood of false information, the party has launched a new "online fire service" to report fake news stories. Russian disinformation Yet stemming the tide is no easy job, with many of those who peddle disinformation now using private messaging services such as WhatsApp and Telegram rather than public platforms such as Facebook. The pandemic and ongoing restrictions on public life will also make it harder for the campaign to push through their own narratives at public events. Miro Dittrich of Germany's Amadeu-Antonio anti-racism foundation claims that lockdown has "played a role" in the spread of fake news. "People are isolated from their social environment and are spending a lot more time online," he said. Another factor is Russia, which has made Germany a primary target of its efforts to spread disinformation in Europe. According to the European anti-disinformation platform EUvsDisinfo, Germany has been the target of 700 Russian disinformation cases since 2015, compared to 300 aimed at France and 170 at Italy. As an outspoken critic of the controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline between Germany and Russia, Baerbock may well become a target of such attacks during the election campaign.

German Greens' election hopeful targeted by fake news

Alphabet Inc`s Google has reached licensing deals with over 600 news outlets around the world and is seeing a "huge increase" in users requesting more content from specific publications as part of a new program, it said on Wednesday.

The update comes as big internet service providers including Facebook Inc have been locked in bitter disputes over fair compensation to publishers.

Google is continuing to negotiate with additional publishers, including in the Unites States, to spend $1 billion for what it calls News Showcase.

The program through 2023 is Google`s biggest effort to invest in an industry that blames tech giants for siphoning its advertising revenue. Combined, Facebook and Google control over half of the digital advertising market.

Google is exercising little oversight over publishers` use of the money.

"The intention of our payment is to help make it easier for publishers to be able to participate in the program," Brad Bender, a vice president at Google overseeing News

Showcase, told Reuters. "But ultimately it`s in service of creating this more sustainable future for news."

But Google`s hesitance to hold publishers accountable for generating business results with the funds leaves questions about whether the media industry will at last turn a corner after several attempts by tech companies to provide support and improve its outlook.

"It`s not up to us to tell a news publisher how to run their business," Google said.

Bender expressed optimism, though, about News Showcase steering publishers toward a brighter future and said the company would support the program beyond the initial $1 billion.

"We`re committed to being part of the solution," he said.

Publishers from a dozen countries have agreed to license content, Google plans to say in a blog post on Wednesday. Users can see the content in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Britain, with Italy joining Wednesday.

In February, Google said "well over" 500 publishers had signed deals.

Google`s lone requirement for funding recipients is that they provide a specified amount of content per day, Bender said. The funding helps publishers staff journalists to arrange the content, known as panels, which are then featured in Google`s News and Discover apps, Bender said.

Users can "follow" publishers to get more panels from them. Publishers including The Financial Times and The Canberra Times collectively are generating 7,000 panels per day and users have registered 200,000 follows, Google plans to announce.

The option to select more content from some publishers had existed in Google`s News tool earlier, but follows from News Showcase panels in the countries where they are available now represent a double-digit percentage of all follows, Google said.

Over time, Google hopes publishers can turn followers into paying subscribers or get a sales boost from increased viewership of ad-supported content.

Reuters has reported fees for individual publishers in France range from as large as $1.3 million for newspaper Le Monde to $13,741 for local publisher La Voix de la Haute Marne.

Google declined to comment on commercial terms in France or elsewhere.

Bender acknowledged Google in designing the new program had not consulted with unions and other organizations representing journalists, many of which in the United States have criticized private equity funds for buying media companies, slashing costs and weakening content.

Ensuring that Google`s funding grows newsrooms and not owners` pocketbooks is a conversation journalists` groups should have with publishers, Google said.

Google, like with other news-related features, said it has no plans to generate revenue from News Showcase.

Alphabet Inc`s Google has reached licensing deals with over 600 news outlets around the world and is seeing a "huge increase" in users requesting more content from specific publications as part of a new program, it said on Wednesday.

Alphabet Inc`s Google has reached licensing deals with over 600 news outlets around the world and is seeing a "huge increase" in users requesting more content from specific publications as part of a new program, it said on Wednesday. The update comes as big internet service providers including Facebook Inc have been locked in bitter disputes over fair compensation to publishers. Google is continuing to negotiate with additional publishers, including in the Unites States, to spend $1 billion for what it calls News Showcase. The program through 2023 is Google`s biggest effort to invest in an industry that blames tech giants for siphoning its advertising revenue. Combined, Facebook and Google control over half of the digital advertising market. Google is exercising little oversight over publishers` use of the money. "The intention of our payment is to help make it easier for publishers to be able to participate in the program," Brad Bender, a vice president at Google overseeing News Showcase, told Reuters. "But ultimately it`s in service of creating this more sustainable future for news." But Google`s hesitance to hold publishers accountable for generating business results with the funds leaves questions about whether the media industry will at last turn a corner after several attempts by tech companies to provide support and improve its outlook. "It`s not up to us to tell a news publisher how to run their business," Google said. Bender expressed optimism, though, about News Showcase steering publishers toward a brighter future and said the company would support the program beyond the initial $1 billion. "We`re committed to being part of the solution," he said. Publishers from a dozen countries have agreed to license content, Google plans to say in a blog post on Wednesday. Users can see the content in Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Germany and Britain, with Italy joining Wednesday. In February, Google said "well over" 500 publishers had signed deals. Google`s lone requirement for funding recipients is that they provide a specified amount of content per day, Bender said. The funding helps publishers staff journalists to arrange the content, known as panels, which are then featured in Google`s News and Discover apps, Bender said. Users can "follow" publishers to get more panels from them. Publishers including The Financial Times and The Canberra Times collectively are generating 7,000 panels per day and users have registered 200,000 follows, Google plans to announce. The option to select more content from some publishers had existed in Google`s News tool earlier, but follows from News Showcase panels in the countries where they are available now represent a double-digit percentage of all follows, Google said. Over time, Google hopes publishers can turn followers into paying subscribers or get a sales boost from increased viewership of ad-supported content. Reuters has reported fees for individual publishers in France range from as large as $1.3 million for newspaper Le Monde to $13,741 for local publisher La Voix de la Haute Marne. Google declined to comment on commercial terms in France or elsewhere. Bender acknowledged Google in designing the new program had not consulted with unions and other organizations representing journalists, many of which in the United States have criticized private equity funds for buying media companies, slashing costs and weakening content. Ensuring that Google`s funding grows newsrooms and not owners` pocketbooks is a conversation journalists` groups should have with publishers, Google said. Google, like with other news-related features, said it has no plans to generate revenue from News Showcase.

Google says 'not up to us' to dictate how news companies spend its $1 billion

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the US election last year spurred a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in tackling the issue while regulators have indicated they may take action via heavy-handed restrictions.

The European Media and Information Fund, launched by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute last week, aims to enlist researchers, fact-checkers, not-for-profits and other public interest-oriented bodies to help in the fight against fake news.

"While navigating the uncertainty and challenges of the last year, it has proven more important than ever for people to access accurate information, and sort facts from fiction," Matt Brittin, head of Google's EMEA Business &amp; Operations, said in a blog post.

The fund has a duration of five years. The European Digital Media Observatory, which is a European Commission project set up last year and whose members include fact-checkers and academic researchers, will evaluate and select the projects.

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation.

Alphabet unit Google will contribute 25 million euros ($29.3 million) to the newly set up European Media and Information Fund to combat fake news, the company said on Wednesday, amid criticism tech giants are not doing enough to debunk online disinformation. The COVID-19 pandemic and the US election last year spurred a massive spike in misinformation, with some blaming social media for not being more proactive in tackling the issue while regulators have indicated they may take action via heavy-handed restrictions. The European Media and Information Fund, launched by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the European University Institute last week, aims to enlist researchers, fact-checkers, not-for-profits and other public interest-oriented bodies to help in the fight against fake news. "While navigating the uncertainty and challenges of the last year, it has proven more important than ever for people to access accurate information, and sort facts from fiction," Matt Brittin, head of Google's EMEA Business & Operations, said in a blog post. The fund has a duration of five years. The European Digital Media Observatory, which is a European Commission project set up last year and whose members include fact-checkers and academic researchers, will evaluate and select the projects.

Google to contribute $29 million to new European Union fund to fight fake news

While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help the world deal with dangerous climate and environmental change, fake news on social media about global warming and biodiversity loss has emerged as a barrier in the climate change mitigation efforts, a group of scientists has warned.&nbsp;

The report, published in Ambio, a journal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, concludes that inequality and environmental challenges are deeply linked. Reducing inequality will increase trust within societies.&nbsp;

Trust is essential for governments to make long-term decisions, the report argues. Social media and access to reliable knowledge is also highlighted as a barrier to progress.&nbsp;

"As the pressure of human activities accelerates on Earth, so too does the hope that technologies such as artificial intelligence will be able to help us deal with dangerous climate and environmental change," said Co-author Victor Galaz, Deputy Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre.&nbsp;

"That will only happen however, if we act forcefully in ways that redirects the direction of technological change towards planetary stewardship and responsible innovation."&nbsp;

Human actions are threatening the resilience and stability of Earth's biosphere -- the wafer-thin veil around Earth where life thrives, according to the report published for the first Nobel Prize Summit, a digital gathering to be held in April to discuss the state of the planet in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.&nbsp;

"In a single human lifetime, largely since the 1950s, we have grossly simplified the biosphere, a system that has evolved over 3.8 billion years. Now just a few plants and animals dominate the land and oceans," said lead author Carl Folke, Director of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics and Chair of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.&nbsp;

"Our actions are making the biosphere more fragile, less resilient and more prone to shocks than before."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help the world deal with dangerous climate and environmental change, fake news on social media about global warming and biodiversity loss has emerged as a barrier in the climate change mitigation efforts, a group of scientists has warned.

While technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) could help the world deal with dangerous climate and environmental change, fake news on social media about global warming and biodiversity loss has emerged as a barrier in the climate change mitigation efforts, a group of scientists has warned. The report, published in Ambio, a journal of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, concludes that inequality and environmental challenges are deeply linked. Reducing inequality will increase trust within societies. Trust is essential for governments to make long-term decisions, the report argues. Social media and access to reliable knowledge is also highlighted as a barrier to progress. "As the pressure of human activities accelerates on Earth, so too does the hope that technologies such as artificial intelligence will be able to help us deal with dangerous climate and environmental change," said Co-author Victor Galaz, Deputy Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre. "That will only happen however, if we act forcefully in ways that redirects the direction of technological change towards planetary stewardship and responsible innovation." Human actions are threatening the resilience and stability of Earth's biosphere -- the wafer-thin veil around Earth where life thrives, according to the report published for the first Nobel Prize Summit, a digital gathering to be held in April to discuss the state of the planet in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. "In a single human lifetime, largely since the 1950s, we have grossly simplified the biosphere, a system that has evolved over 3.8 billion years. Now just a few plants and animals dominate the land and oceans," said lead author Carl Folke, Director of the Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics and Chair of the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University. "Our actions are making the biosphere more fragile, less resilient and more prone to shocks than before." (With inputs from agencies)

Fake news on social media barrier hampering climate fight 

An Egyptian court has sentenced prominent activist Sanaa Seif to a year and a half in prison for 'spreading false news'.

A Cairo criminal court on Wednesday convicted Seif for spreading and broadcasting false news that would cause panic, the false allegation of the spread of the coronavirus in prisons and misusing social media sites. Seif has the right to appeal the ruling within 60 days, judicial sources said.

Seif was detained in June 2019 outside the public prosecutor’s office as she tried to file a complaint about the detention conditions of her brother Alaa Abdel Fattah, one of Egypt’s best-known activists, their family says. She was also among the activists who had campaigned on social media for the release of some prisoners amid fears that coronavirus would spread in prisons.

Three other members of her family were briefly detained in March 2020 for protesting over the same issue.

Seif's brother Alaa, a leading activist in the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak, was detained in September 2019, six months after his release from a five-year prison term.

Western countries, meanwhile, have called on Egypt to end the prosecution of activists, journalists and perceived political opponents under counter-terrorism laws, and to unconditionally release them.

An Egyptian court has sentenced prominent activist Sanaa Seif to a year and a half in prison for 'spreading false news'. A Cairo criminal court on Wednesday convicted Seif for spreading and broadcasting false news that would cause panic, the false allegation of the spread of the coronavirus in prisons and misusing social media sites.

An Egyptian court has sentenced prominent activist Sanaa Seif to a year and a half in prison for 'spreading false news'. A Cairo criminal court on Wednesday convicted Seif for spreading and broadcasting false news that would cause panic, the false allegation of the spread of the coronavirus in prisons and misusing social media sites. Seif has the right to appeal the ruling within 60 days, judicial sources said. Seif was detained in June 2019 outside the public prosecutor’s office as she tried to file a complaint about the detention conditions of her brother Alaa Abdel Fattah, one of Egypt’s best-known activists, their family says. She was also among the activists who had campaigned on social media for the release of some prisoners amid fears that coronavirus would spread in prisons. Three other members of her family were briefly detained in March 2020 for protesting over the same issue. Seif's brother Alaa, a leading activist in the 2011 uprising that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak, was detained in September 2019, six months after his release from a five-year prison term. Western countries, meanwhile, have called on Egypt to end the prosecution of activists, journalists and perceived political opponents under counter-terrorism laws, and to unconditionally release them.

Egyptian activist sentenced to 18 months for ‘fake news’

A woman from Pennsylvania in the US reportedly created deepfake pictures of her daughter’s cheerleading rivals. According to officials, the woman doctored images and videos of her&nbsp;daughter's fellow cheerleaders to get them removed from the team.

50-year-old Raffaela Spone has been charged with three misdemeanor counts of cyber harassment of a child, and related offences, as revealed by the Bucks country district attorney office.

Reportedly, Spone accessed pictures of three girls on various social media platforms, and them manipulated the images. The girls belong to the “Victory Vipers” cheerleading squad in Chalfont.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/tom-cruise-obama-elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg-and-more-deepfake-videos-raise-alarm-367277" hreflang="en">Tom Cruise, Obama, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and more: Deepfake videos raise alarm</a>

The woman made it appear that the girls were drinking and smoking. In many instances, the girls were shown to be nude. The Guardian claims that Spone then went on to message the victims, and&nbsp;urged them to kill themselves.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/deepfake-tool-helped-create-more-than-100000-fake-nude-images-of-women-report-336907" hreflang="en">Deepfake tool helped create more than 100,000 fake nude images of women: Report</a>

Deepfakes are created using artificial intelligence acquired through deep learning to curate fake images of fake events. Robert Birch, Spone’s attorney told a local network “WPVI-TV” that the District Attorney had not produced any evidence, and that Spone has been receiving death threats after being reported in the press.

In the aftermath of the event, the cheerleading team apologised to the victims.

“Victory Vipers has always promoted a family environment and we are sorry for all individuals involved. We have very well-established policies, and a very strict anti-bullying policy in our program”, Mark McTague and Kelly Cramer, gym owners wrote in a statement.&nbsp;

A woman from Pennsylvania in the US reportedly created deepfake pictures of her daughter’s cheerleading rivals. According to officials, the woman doctored images and videos of her daughter's fellow cheerleaders to get them removed from the team.

A woman from Pennsylvania in the US reportedly created deepfake pictures of her daughter’s cheerleading rivals. According to officials, the woman doctored images and videos of her daughter's fellow cheerleaders to get them removed from the team. 50-year-old Raffaela Spone has been charged with three misdemeanor counts of cyber harassment of a child, and related offences, as revealed by the Bucks country district attorney office. Reportedly, Spone accessed pictures of three girls on various social media platforms, and them manipulated the images. The girls belong to the “Victory Vipers” cheerleading squad in Chalfont. Also read: Tom Cruise, Obama, Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and more: Deepfake videos raise alarm The woman made it appear that the girls were drinking and smoking. In many instances, the girls were shown to be nude. The Guardian claims that Spone then went on to message the victims, and urged them to kill themselves. Also read: Deepfake tool helped create more than 100,000 fake nude images of women: Report Deepfakes are created using artificial intelligence acquired through deep learning to curate fake images of fake events. Robert Birch, Spone’s attorney told a local network “WPVI-TV” that the District Attorney had not produced any evidence, and that Spone has been receiving death threats after being reported in the press. In the aftermath of the event, the cheerleading team apologised to the victims. “Victory Vipers has always promoted a family environment and we are sorry for all individuals involved. We have very well-established policies, and a very strict anti-bullying policy in our program”, Mark McTague and Kelly Cramer, gym owners wrote in a statement.

US woman charged with creating deepfakes of her daughter's cheerleading rivals

People with high levels of emotional intelligence are less likely to be susceptible to 'fake news', a new study suggests.&nbsp;

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, indicates that those who identified the types of news correctly were most likely to score highly in the EQ tests.&nbsp;

"Fake news on social media is now a matter of considerable public and governmental concern," said researcher Tony Anderson from the University of Strathclyde in the UK.&nbsp;

"Research on dealing with this issue is still in its infancy but recent studies have started to focus on the psychological factors which might make some individuals less susceptible to fake news," Anderson added.&nbsp;

For the study, the research team invited nearly 100 participants to read a series of news items on social media and to ascertain whether they were real or fictitious, briefly describing the reasons for their answers.&nbsp;

They were also asked to complete a test to determine their levels of emotional intelligence (EQ or emotional quotient) and were asked a number of questions when considering the veracity of each news item.&nbsp;

Participants were presented with real and fabricated news stories on issues including health, crime, wealth inequality and the environment.&nbsp;

Fictitious items featured aspects including emotive language, brief information and a lack of attributed sources.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

People with high levels of emotional intelligence are less likely to be susceptible to 'fake news', a new study suggests. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, indicates that those who identified the types of news correctly were most likely to score highly in the EQ tests.

People with high levels of emotional intelligence are less likely to be susceptible to 'fake news', a new study suggests. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, indicates that those who identified the types of news correctly were most likely to score highly in the EQ tests. "Fake news on social media is now a matter of considerable public and governmental concern," said researcher Tony Anderson from the University of Strathclyde in the UK. "Research on dealing with this issue is still in its infancy but recent studies have started to focus on the psychological factors which might make some individuals less susceptible to fake news," Anderson added. For the study, the research team invited nearly 100 participants to read a series of news items on social media and to ascertain whether they were real or fictitious, briefly describing the reasons for their answers. They were also asked to complete a test to determine their levels of emotional intelligence (EQ or emotional quotient) and were asked a number of questions when considering the veracity of each news item. Participants were presented with real and fabricated news stories on issues including health, crime, wealth inequality and the environment. Fictitious items featured aspects including emotive language, brief information and a lack of attributed sources. (With inputs from agencies)

High EQ can help to identify fake news 

A new report from The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has found that recommendations made by Instagram during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic was pushing people towards misinformation about the virus.

In addition, people were exposed to content sceptical of vaccinations, and material promoting anti-semitism.&nbsp; The watchdog claims that new accounts on the platform were exposed to misinformation through the app’s algorithms - the defining character of its “explore” section.

Most of the misleading information was shown to new users, many of whom followed leading faces of anti-vaccination movement.

The report by CCDH is titled “Malgorithm” which noted that volunteers in their study who followed 10 accounts with links to anti-vaccine sentiments were receiving recommendations for way more problematic content, like anti-semitic theories. The most common trope among these recommendations was about playing down the pandemic - urging people to stop wearing masks, and to not get tested.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/technology/invite-only-photo-sharing-app-dispo-launched-as-instagrams-rival-367613" hreflang="en">Invite-only photo sharing app, Dispo, launched as Instagram's rival</a>

CCDH’s Chief Executive told The Guardian that it was “beyond belief” how Instagram exposed people to conspiracy theories during a pandemic.

Facebook, the parent company on Instagram has responded to the allegations, calling the CCDH’s findings outdated and misleading.&nbsp;

The company also claimed that they have removed 12 million posts with misleading information about COVID-19 and vaccines, while highlighting how the CCDH’s research uses a sample size of just 104 posts. “We share the goal of reducing misinformation”, the company said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/sports/instagram-vows-strong-action-after-racist-abuse-of-premier-league-stars-362719" hreflang="en">Instagram vows strong action after racist abuse of Premier League stars</a>

Over the last few months, social media giants are facing increased scrutiny from governments around the world for the role companies play in limiting misinformation, which in turn affects how individuals behave and the choices they make in the real world - which have more far-reaching implications during a pandemic.

A new report from The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has found that recommendations made by Instagram during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic was pushing people towards misinformation about the virus.

A new report from The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) has found that recommendations made by Instagram during the peak of COVID-19 pandemic was pushing people towards misinformation about the virus. In addition, people were exposed to content sceptical of vaccinations, and material promoting anti-semitism. The watchdog claims that new accounts on the platform were exposed to misinformation through the app’s algorithms - the defining character of its “explore” section. Most of the misleading information was shown to new users, many of whom followed leading faces of anti-vaccination movement. The report by CCDH is titled “Malgorithm” which noted that volunteers in their study who followed 10 accounts with links to anti-vaccine sentiments were receiving recommendations for way more problematic content, like anti-semitic theories. The most common trope among these recommendations was about playing down the pandemic - urging people to stop wearing masks, and to not get tested. Also read: Invite-only photo sharing app, Dispo, launched as Instagram's rival CCDH’s Chief Executive told The Guardian that it was “beyond belief” how Instagram exposed people to conspiracy theories during a pandemic. Facebook, the parent company on Instagram has responded to the allegations, calling the CCDH’s findings outdated and misleading. The company also claimed that they have removed 12 million posts with misleading information about COVID-19 and vaccines, while highlighting how the CCDH’s research uses a sample size of just 104 posts. “We share the goal of reducing misinformation”, the company said. Also read: Instagram vows strong action after racist abuse of Premier League stars Over the last few months, social media giants are facing increased scrutiny from governments around the world for the role companies play in limiting misinformation, which in turn affects how individuals behave and the choices they make in the real world - which have more far-reaching implications during a pandemic.

Instagram drove new users to fake news, conspiracy theories during peak of pandemic: Report

Amid rising political tensions, the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn has urged his supporters to speak out against fake news.

Thai King tells royalists to speak against fake news

A report has claimed that Kamala Harris, Democratic Vice-President candidate is being attacked through online misinformation four times more than her Republican rival Mike Pence.&nbsp;

The fake news regarding the Indian American includes that she is ineligible to run for the election or she was lying about Black and Indian background.&nbsp;

Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-us-election-2020-netizens-go-gaga-after-kamala-harris-dances-in-rain-in-florida-rally-337054">Netizens go gaga after Kamala Harris dances in rain in Florida rally</a>

After getting vice-president ticket, Harris has been at the centre of online misinformation campaigns far more often four times as much than the white men who campaigned for the same job, a report from media intelligence firm Zignal Labs said as reported by news agency The Associated Press.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kamala-harris-niece-slammed-for-tweeting-image-depicting-aunt-as-durga-336638">Kamala Harris' niece slammed for tweeting image depicting aunt as Durga</a>

Jennifer Granston, head of insights at Zignal Labs, said Harris has been attacked much more on her personal identity, particularly as a woman of colour.&nbsp;

The firm found over 1 millions mentions of Harris since June on Twitter with hashtags or terms used to spread misinformation related to her.&nbsp;

It said about 300,000 of these mentions questions Harris's eligibility to serve as US president.&nbsp;

Harris's birth certificate confirms she was on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, indicating she being eligible to serve as either vice president or president.

A report has claimed that Kamala Harris, Democratic Vice-President candidate is being attacked through online misinformation four times more than her Republican rival Mike Pence.

A report has claimed that Kamala Harris, Democratic Vice-President candidate is being attacked through online misinformation four times more than her Republican rival Mike Pence. The fake news regarding the Indian American includes that she is ineligible to run for the election or she was lying about Black and Indian background. Watch | Netizens go gaga after Kamala Harris dances in rain in Florida rally After getting vice-president ticket, Harris has been at the centre of online misinformation campaigns far more often four times as much than the white men who campaigned for the same job, a report from media intelligence firm Zignal Labs said as reported by news agency The Associated Press. Also read | Kamala Harris' niece slammed for tweeting image depicting aunt as Durga Jennifer Granston, head of insights at Zignal Labs, said Harris has been attacked much more on her personal identity, particularly as a woman of colour. The firm found over 1 millions mentions of Harris since June on Twitter with hashtags or terms used to spread misinformation related to her. It said about 300,000 of these mentions questions Harris's eligibility to serve as US president. Harris's birth certificate confirms she was on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, indicating she being eligible to serve as either vice president or president.

Kamala Harris attacked far more through online misinformation than Pence: Report

New Jersey tech entrepreneur Arun Bantval is U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden`s top fake-news watchdog on messaging service WhatsApp about the Democrat and his Indian American running mate Kamala Harris.

Messages on WhatsApp, owned by Facebook Inc, are confidential and cannot be seen by moderators who police misleading memes, claims and other content on the social media giant`s flagship platform. Two billion users rely on WhatsApp`s free app to chat with individuals and groups of up to 256 people.

Bantval, 56, who chairs the Biden campaign`s five-member rapid response team focused on South Asian voters, has tracked dozens of concerning messages of unknown origin and crafted about 50 rebuttal graphics and texts over the last three months.

His team and similar ones at nonpartisan groups are trying to fill WhatsApp`s moderation void by joining big WhatsApp groups and asking community leaders to report items.

Fighting fake news on social media such as Facebook and Twitter has become standard practice for campaigns. But apps for secret messaging such as WhatsApp have flown under the radar despite serving as a crucial political forum among middle-aged Indians, Latinx and other immigrant groups.

South Asian voters, mostly Indian Americans, will be pivotal in the Nov. 3 contest in swing states such as Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania where results will be close and predict the national outcome, researchers and nonpartisan voting advocacy groups say.

About 72% of Indian-American registered voters plan to back Biden, according to a September survey by Carnegie Endowment. But South Asian Biden supporters and nonpartisan activists worry that misinformation on WhatsApp will affect turnout and support.

"There`s just a lot of inaccurate information for an already confusing process," said Chavi Khanna Koneru, executive director of nonpartisan group North Carolina Asian Americans Together. "And this year is different for everybody because we`re relying on virtual connections more than ever."

Each day, users can receive hundreds of memes, videos, voicemails and texts spanning greetings, social invitations and political propaganda. Users regularly forward shocking and humorous messages, with the original sender`s name automatically stripped, making it hard to trace them.

"It`s almost like going viral on Facebook," Bantval said.

WhatsApp said its role in U.S. politics is small. But political misinformation on WhatsApp in Brazil, India and elsewhere prompted the service beginning in 2018 to limit recipients when forwarding messages.

It also introduced a chatbot that users can message to access fact checks by internationally recognized organizations.

But when Reuters queried the system for topics in messages sent to South Asian voters, it generated zero results. 
WhatsApp also said users can search the web from heavily forwarded messages to find relevant fact checks, though Reuters again found no related results.

A campaign spokeswoman for Republican incumbent Donald Trump said WhatsApp was not a focus for its social media staff. But some misleading messages on the app target him over racial justice policies and alleged extramarital affairs, according to Indian voters from both parties.

"There`s more on the Democratic candidates, but there is fake news about the Republican side, too," said Kannan Srinivasan, an Orlando businessman.

TAPPING INTO FEARS

It is unclear where WhatsApp misinformation originates or whether the examples observed by Bantval and others are part of organized efforts. They said spelling and wording suggest some authors are Indian residents who view Trump as better for bilateral relations.

Messages seen by Reuters and sent to swing-state voters portray Biden`s views on Pakistan, Islam, China, taxation and policing in ways debunked by fact-checking groups.

Bantval said the misrepresentations preyed on older Indian immigrants concerns about crime, wealth and religion.

Other messages sent to South Asian voters in Texas and North Carolina, seen by Reuters, contain false claims that ballots will not count when voters select a Democrat in every contest or when election officials sign dropped off ballots.

Koneru estimated her North Carolina group spends about 15% of its time correcting inaccuracies about voting procedures on WhatsApp and other popular services compared with 2% during the 2016 presidential election.

"We do our best to jump in and clarify but there`s so many WhatsApp groups," she said.

New Jersey tech entrepreneur Arun Bantval is U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden`s top fake-news watchdog on messaging service WhatsApp about the Democrat and his Indian American running mate Kamala Harris.

New Jersey tech entrepreneur Arun Bantval is U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden`s top fake-news watchdog on messaging service WhatsApp about the Democrat and his Indian American running mate Kamala Harris. Messages on WhatsApp, owned by Facebook Inc, are confidential and cannot be seen by moderators who police misleading memes, claims and other content on the social media giant`s flagship platform. Two billion users rely on WhatsApp`s free app to chat with individuals and groups of up to 256 people. Bantval, 56, who chairs the Biden campaign`s five-member rapid response team focused on South Asian voters, has tracked dozens of concerning messages of unknown origin and crafted about 50 rebuttal graphics and texts over the last three months. His team and similar ones at nonpartisan groups are trying to fill WhatsApp`s moderation void by joining big WhatsApp groups and asking community leaders to report items. Fighting fake news on social media such as Facebook and Twitter has become standard practice for campaigns. But apps for secret messaging such as WhatsApp have flown under the radar despite serving as a crucial political forum among middle-aged Indians, Latinx and other immigrant groups. South Asian voters, mostly Indian Americans, will be pivotal in the Nov. 3 contest in swing states such as Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania where results will be close and predict the national outcome, researchers and nonpartisan voting advocacy groups say. About 72% of Indian-American registered voters plan to back Biden, according to a September survey by Carnegie Endowment. But South Asian Biden supporters and nonpartisan activists worry that misinformation on WhatsApp will affect turnout and support. "There`s just a lot of inaccurate information for an already confusing process," said Chavi Khanna Koneru, executive director of nonpartisan group North Carolina Asian Americans Together. "And this year is different for everybody because we`re relying on virtual connections more than ever." Each day, users can receive hundreds of memes, videos, voicemails and texts spanning greetings, social invitations and political propaganda. Users regularly forward shocking and humorous messages, with the original sender`s name automatically stripped, making it hard to trace them. "It`s almost like going viral on Facebook," Bantval said. WhatsApp said its role in U.S. politics is small. But political misinformation on WhatsApp in Brazil, India and elsewhere prompted the service beginning in 2018 to limit recipients when forwarding messages. It also introduced a chatbot that users can message to access fact checks by internationally recognized organizations. But when Reuters queried the system for topics in messages sent to South Asian voters, it generated zero results. WhatsApp also said users can search the web from heavily forwarded messages to find relevant fact checks, though Reuters again found no related results. A campaign spokeswoman for Republican incumbent Donald Trump said WhatsApp was not a focus for its social media staff. But some misleading messages on the app target him over racial justice policies and alleged extramarital affairs, according to Indian voters from both parties. "There`s more on the Democratic candidates, but there is fake news about the Republican side, too," said Kannan Srinivasan, an Orlando businessman. TAPPING INTO FEARS It is unclear where WhatsApp misinformation originates or whether the examples observed by Bantval and others are part of organized efforts. They said spelling and wording suggest some authors are Indian residents who view Trump as better for bilateral relations. Messages seen by Reuters and sent to swing-state voters portray Biden`s views on Pakistan, Islam, China, taxation and policing in ways debunked by fact-checking groups. Bantval said the misrepresentations preyed on older Indian immigrants concerns about crime, wealth and religion. Other messages sent to South Asian voters in Texas and North Carolina, seen by Reuters, contain false claims that ballots will not count when voters select a Democrat in every contest or when election officials sign dropped off ballots. Koneru estimated her North Carolina group spends about 15% of its time correcting inaccuracies about voting procedures on WhatsApp and other popular services compared with 2% during the 2016 presidential election. "We do our best to jump in and clarify but there`s so many WhatsApp groups," she said.

Fake news spread on WhatsApp to Indian Americans plays stealth role in US election

As news channels hit rock bottom, WION's Palki Sharma Upadhyay argues that brands should save themselves by pulling out of some networks. Why lose consumers by sponsoring fake news, when you can make a statement by supporting real journalism?

Gravitas Plus: Dear advertisers, don't sponsor toxic news

Facebook has taken the onus of fighting 'fake news' & hate in a deeply polarised world. On Gravitas Plus, Palki Sharma asks: Can a platform that was accused of data manipulation act as the arbiter of truth?

Gravitas Plus: Can Facebook act as the arbiter of truth?

From fake news to fake accounts to 'boost' following of state media - China is trying to build a propaganda network to influence conversations on social media. Palki Sharma Upadhyay tells you more about China's social media propaganda machine.

Gravitas: How China is trying to manipulate social media platforms

Free Speech Vs Responsible Speech. Do you know when was the first amendment passed in India to curtail freedom of speech? Watch the video.

Free Speech Vs Responsible Speech | WION Opinion

Is Donald Trump's bad temper benefiting Joe Biden? After first round of chaotic debate between President Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The US debate organizers are considering to change the rules to avoid any unruly behavior. Watch report.

US Election 2020: Is Trump's bad temper benefiting Biden?

After yesterday's chaotic debate between President Donald Trump and Jow Biden. The US debate organisers are mulling changing the rules to avoid any unruly behavior. Watch report.

US Election 2020: Planners vow less chaos at the next debate?

The short-video sharing app TikTok has joined the other social media platforms in fighting the spread of misinformation and fake news during the upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/us-election">US elections</a>, that are scheduled for November 3.

After fighting the US President&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;over a nationwide ban on the popular app, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/tiktok">TikTok</a>&nbsp;has launched a&nbsp;US election guide to ensure people get the facts and real news, and stop the spread of misinformation.

Through this guide, TikTok is hoping to establish the app as a platform where authentic information can be found. "Our goal is to keep TikTok a place where authentic content can thrive, and our elections guide reflects our ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of our platform and the US elections," the&nbsp;head of US public policy Michael Beckerman said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hours-before-court-hearing-judge-rejects-bid-to-delay-tiktok-ban-330573">Also read:&nbsp;Hours before court hearing, Judge rejects bid to delay TikTok ban</a>

The guide will be available at the&nbsp;bottom of all election-related videos and all content posted by the verified accounts of political figures and parties. It will also be available on the&nbsp;Discover page in the TikTok app.

"On TikTok we're seeing how people, especially younger voters, are passionate about important issues and are ready to make their voices heard," BallotReady chief executive Alex Niemczewski said in the release.

"Younger voters often do not realize everything that will appear on their ballot, and we believe that TikTok can help them vote their entire ballot."

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Meanwhile,&nbsp;MediaWise at the Poynter Institute, has announced plans of releasing short videos on the app to make the first-time voters about how to vote and how to spot fake news related to the US elections.

"We are excited to partner with TikTok to help teach their community how to sort fact from fiction online," program manager Katy Byron said.

The short-video sharing app TikTok has joined the other social media platforms in fighting the spread of misinformation and fake news during the upcoming US elections, that are scheduled for November 3.

The short-video sharing app TikTok has joined the other social media platforms in fighting the spread of misinformation and fake news during the upcoming US elections, that are scheduled for November 3. After fighting the US President Donald Trump over a nationwide ban on the popular app, TikTok has launched a US election guide to ensure people get the facts and real news, and stop the spread of misinformation. Through this guide, TikTok is hoping to establish the app as a platform where authentic information can be found. "Our goal is to keep TikTok a place where authentic content can thrive, and our elections guide reflects our ongoing efforts to protect the integrity of our platform and the US elections," the head of US public policy Michael Beckerman said. Also read: Hours before court hearing, Judge rejects bid to delay TikTok ban The guide will be available at the bottom of all election-related videos and all content posted by the verified accounts of political figures and parties. It will also be available on the Discover page in the TikTok app. "On TikTok we're seeing how people, especially younger voters, are passionate about important issues and are ready to make their voices heard," BallotReady chief executive Alex Niemczewski said in the release. "Younger voters often do not realize everything that will appear on their ballot, and we believe that TikTok can help them vote their entire ballot." × Meanwhile, MediaWise at the Poynter Institute, has announced plans of releasing short videos on the app to make the first-time voters about how to vote and how to spot fake news related to the US elections. "We are excited to partner with TikTok to help teach their community how to sort fact from fiction online," program manager Katy Byron said.

TikTok launches guide on fighting misinformation during US elections

Facebook, already under fire for its handling of misinformation and fake news, is going to launch its independent Oversight Board in mid to late October. This will put the board in action just before US Presidential elections due to take place on November 3. Facebook had plans to launch the Oversight Board last year but it was delayed due to coronavirus pandemic.

The board will initially have the power to review decisions to take down posts from Facebook and Instagram and recommend policy changes.

Oversight Board member Alan Rusbridger told Reuters in an interview that the board was now aiming for an October launch. A spokesman confirmed that timetable, saying the launch, originally planned for last year, had also been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Rusbridger said he did not know whether the board would hear cases about content connected to the U.S. presidential election.

Also&nbsp;Read&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/thailand-takes-first-legal-action-against-facebook-twitter-over-content-329917">Thailand takes first legal action against Facebook, Twitter over content</a>

Although this is a step towards improving Facebook's handling of problematic content, some experts have said that that it will not be able to help combat misinformation as the board&nbsp;won't have authority to evaluate posts that the company decides to leave up.

Facebook has been on the receiving end of criticism about the kind of content it allows on its platform, especially political and social.

On Wednesday, Facebook took down pages that were created in China and were aimed at influencing US elections. Facebook said that people behind these activities tried to hide their location and identity using VPNs.

In addition to concerns surrounding content, Facebook is facing flak for privacy issues as well. On September 18, Bloomberg reported that a lawsuit was filed against Facebook for allegedly spying on Instagram users through phone camera. Facebook owns Instagram. Facebook had declined to comment at the time.

Facebook, already under fire for its handling of misinformation and fake news, is going to launch its independent Oversight Board in mid to late October. This will put the board in action just before US Presidential elections due to take place on November 3.

Facebook, already under fire for its handling of misinformation and fake news, is going to launch its independent Oversight Board in mid to late October. This will put the board in action just before US Presidential elections due to take place on November 3. Facebook had plans to launch the Oversight Board last year but it was delayed due to coronavirus pandemic. The board will initially have the power to review decisions to take down posts from Facebook and Instagram and recommend policy changes. Oversight Board member Alan Rusbridger told Reuters in an interview that the board was now aiming for an October launch. A spokesman confirmed that timetable, saying the launch, originally planned for last year, had also been slowed by the coronavirus pandemic. Rusbridger said he did not know whether the board would hear cases about content connected to the U.S. presidential election. Also Read | Thailand takes first legal action against Facebook, Twitter over content Although this is a step towards improving Facebook's handling of problematic content, some experts have said that that it will not be able to help combat misinformation as the board won't have authority to evaluate posts that the company decides to leave up. Facebook has been on the receiving end of criticism about the kind of content it allows on its platform, especially political and social. On Wednesday, Facebook took down pages that were created in China and were aimed at influencing US elections. Facebook said that people behind these activities tried to hide their location and identity using VPNs. In addition to concerns surrounding content, Facebook is facing flak for privacy issues as well. On September 18, Bloomberg reported that a lawsuit was filed against Facebook for allegedly spying on Instagram users through phone camera. Facebook owns Instagram. Facebook had declined to comment at the time.

Facebook to launch Oversight Board to combat misinformation just before US elections

Do you believe everything you read on social media? Do you verify the content churned out to you across networking platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram? If your answer is yes for the former question, and no to&nbsp;the latter, you need to step up!

A recent documentary on Netflix brought to light again the secretive nature of how these social media giants operate, and how manipulation of users is the driving business model for most of these services. Titled “The Social Dilemma”, it referred to a 2018 study done by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States.

Social media as a manipulation agent

The study, which was then published in Science magazine becomes pertinent again as the role of social media in influencing elections, and misinformation surrounding the ongoing pandemic comes to light.

When the study had come out, a co-author of the study, Sinan Aral told CNN that they were “very surprised by the results”. Who wouldn’t be surprised to find out that a majority of the news they absorb is actually fake!

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-election-2020-twitter-places-notice-on-trumps-tweets-of-double-voting-325197" hreflang="en">Twitter places notice on Trump's tweets of double voting</a>

The study found that fake news travels to Twitter users six times faster than real news. The study, which took two years to complete found that true news takes about six times longer to reach 1,500 people on Twitter when compared to false news.

The study claimed that false stories "diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth in all categories of information."

"I find it disturbing," Aral told CNN.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/exclusive-wion-investigates-chinas-network-of-fake-twitter-accounts-323526" hreflang="en">EXCLUSIVE | WION investigates China's network of fake Twitter accounts</a>

To ascertain this, researchers took into account stories and tweets circulating on Twitter between 2006 and 2017, and relied on six fact checking organisations to find out whether the story was true and false.

According to the study, false news about politics “travelled deeper and more broadly” when compared to other types of stores. These were also “more viral” than other content with false information. It reached 20,000 people thrice as fast as other types of information.

It also found how humans and bots spread false information at roughly the same rate. In fact, the study posits that humans are “more likely to spread it”.

Do you believe everything you read on social media? Do you verify the content churned out to you across networking platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram?

Do you believe everything you read on social media? Do you verify the content churned out to you across networking platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram? If your answer is yes for the former question, and no to the latter, you need to step up! A recent documentary on Netflix brought to light again the secretive nature of how these social media giants operate, and how manipulation of users is the driving business model for most of these services. Titled “The Social Dilemma”, it referred to a 2018 study done by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. Social media as a manipulation agent The study, which was then published in Science magazine becomes pertinent again as the role of social media in influencing elections, and misinformation surrounding the ongoing pandemic comes to light. When the study had come out, a co-author of the study, Sinan Aral told CNN that they were “very surprised by the results”. Who wouldn’t be surprised to find out that a majority of the news they absorb is actually fake! Also read: Twitter places notice on Trump's tweets of double voting The study found that fake news travels to Twitter users six times faster than real news. The study, which took two years to complete found that true news takes about six times longer to reach 1,500 people on Twitter when compared to false news. The study claimed that false stories "diffused significantly farther, faster, deeper, and more broadly than the truth in all categories of information." "I find it disturbing," Aral told CNN. Also read: EXCLUSIVE | WION investigates China's network of fake Twitter accounts To ascertain this, researchers took into account stories and tweets circulating on Twitter between 2006 and 2017, and relied on six fact checking organisations to find out whether the story was true and false. According to the study, false news about politics “travelled deeper and more broadly” when compared to other types of stores. These were also “more viral” than other content with false information. It reached 20,000 people thrice as fast as other types of information. It also found how humans and bots spread false information at roughly the same rate. In fact, the study posits that humans are “more likely to spread it”.

Fake news travels six times faster on Twitter than real news: MIT study

The US President Donald Trump was in news for the last few days for an alleged comment about the World War&nbsp;I veterans. However, Trump has denied the accusation.

Trump, who is hoping to be re-elected as the President in the upcoming November elections, was alleged of calling the World War I heroes "losers" and "suckers". The news broke out in an article reported in the Atlantic magazine.

The President, now, wants that journalist fired for reporting 'fake news'. He took to twitter to ask for her resignation, claiming that he was never approached for a comment. "All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment.," he tweeted.

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Jennifer Griffin of Fox News Did Not Confirm ‘Most Salacious‘ Part of Atlantic Story <a href="https://t.co/rUpbSWhHac">https://t.co/rUpbSWhHac</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/BreitbartNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BreitbartNews</a> All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment. <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FoxNews</a> is gone!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1302083885384249344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Jennifer Griffin, an American journalist, from a local media channel, Fox News, said two former administration officials had confirmed to her that Trump "did not want to drive to honor American war dead" at the Aisne-Marne cemetery outside Paris, and therefore missed the event.

She also claimed that another official had&nbsp;told her that Trump used the word "sucker" for the military in context to the&nbsp;Vietnam War.

"When the President spoke about the Vietnam War, he said, 'It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker'," she quoted the unnamed official as saying.

"It was a character flaw of the President. He could not understand why someone would die for their country, not worth it," the source said.

However, Trump has denied all the allegations.

Surveys have also revealed that&nbsp;37.4 per cent of active duty personnel support Trump in the upcoming elections. Whereas,&nbsp;43.1 per cent support Joe Biden, Trump's opponent in the upcoming elections.&nbsp;

The US President Donald Trump was in news for the last few days for an alleged comment about the World War I veterans. However, Trump has denied the accusation. Trump, who is hoping to be re-elected as the President in the upcoming November elections, was alleged of calling the World War I heroes "losers" and "suckers".

The US President Donald Trump was in news for the last few days for an alleged comment about the World War I veterans. However, Trump has denied the accusation. Trump, who is hoping to be re-elected as the President in the upcoming November elections, was alleged of calling the World War I heroes "losers" and "suckers". The news broke out in an article reported in the Atlantic magazine. The President, now, wants that journalist fired for reporting 'fake news'. He took to twitter to ask for her resignation, claiming that he was never approached for a comment. "All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment.," he tweeted. Jennifer Griffin of Fox News Did Not Confirm ‘Most Salacious‘ Part of Atlantic Story https://t.co/rUpbSWhHac via @BreitbartNews All refuted by many witnesses. Jennifer Griffin should be fired for this kind of reporting. Never even called us for comment. @FoxNews is gone! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 5, 2020 × Jennifer Griffin, an American journalist, from a local media channel, Fox News, said two former administration officials had confirmed to her that Trump "did not want to drive to honor American war dead" at the Aisne-Marne cemetery outside Paris, and therefore missed the event. She also claimed that another official had told her that Trump used the word "sucker" for the military in context to the Vietnam War. "When the President spoke about the Vietnam War, he said, 'It was a stupid war. Anyone who went was a sucker'," she quoted the unnamed official as saying. "It was a character flaw of the President. He could not understand why someone would die for their country, not worth it," the source said. However, Trump has denied all the allegations. Surveys have also revealed that 37.4 per cent of active duty personnel support Trump in the upcoming elections. Whereas, 43.1 per cent support Joe Biden, Trump's opponent in the upcoming elections.

Trump calls for resignation of reporter for 'fake news'

fake-news

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