There's increasing evidence that what we say or do online ends up affecting people on the ground, leaving real-life consequences.
Recently, WhatsApp-based rumours have led to increasing instances of mob lynching in India.?Two men were hacked to death in Tripura, and?eleven lynchings have taken place over the past two months alone. All due to rumours spread on WhatsApp.
reuters
Needless to say, rumours spread through a lot of online platforms, but because WhatsApp has become so ubiquitous, any rumour that spreads on it has the potential of causing real-life havoc.
This is what you should do to stop the spread of rumours or fake messages on WhatsApp.
WhatsApp has launched a new feature that allows admins to take control of their groups and streamline communication flow like never before -- and the stop spread of dangerous rumours that can lead to loss of life and property. This feature lets only admins to post in groups, stopping the flow of potential fake or inflammatory messages from rest of the members.
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WhatsApp is currently experimenting with marking forwarded messages with the "Forwarded" label. This should give you or anyone else who encounters a forwarded message in a WhatsApp group to take it with a major pinch of salt.
Not just for WhatsApp, but this tip is valid for anything you see online. Make sure you trust the source from where you're getting information. If you're seeing controversial posts being posted by people you don't know in a WhatsApp group, alert the admins of the group.
Reuters
Another important step towards arresting the spread of rumours on WhatsApp is to respond to the message in question. Ask questions, check if the original sender knows where it came from, and make sure you're calling a spade a spade. Not doing anything is almost the same as encouraging the spread of rumours on WhatsApp.
Apart from calling attention towards a dodgy or inflammatory message on a WhatsApp group, another thing you can do is debunk it -- either through logic-based debate or merely pointing at the correct piece of information. Simple. Not only will you kill the original rumour, but possibly start spreading the correct or right message.
We can't stress this enough: don't -- actually never -- get personal or emotional online or in a WhatsApp group. Difference of opinions can happen, we are all humans after all, but try to respond to the subject of the matter and don't target the person posting the message. Debunk the message, not the messenger.
Lastly, with all pervasive social media and our dependence on messaging apps like WhatsApp, bad actors are always looking at stoking emotions and catching us off guard to spread dubious messages on WhatsApp groups or social media platforms. This is especially important if you're an admin of a public WhatsApp group. Lay down the rules and enforce them.