Photos| WhatsApp rumors, cheap smartphones: Telangana cop’s fight against fake news
Updated On Jun 22, 2018 11:10 AM IST
Outreach programmes by Indian Police Service Superintendent Rema Rajeshwari have made people in 400 Telangana villages more cautious about social media rumours turning into fake news. In times when fake news has emerged as a global issue aided by the proliferation of WhatsApp and cheap smartphones, Rajeshwari’s efforts have presented positive results with not a single death related to fake news in the area under her administration. Her efforts have also motivated other officers in the country to duplicate her awareness campaign and stem this issue.
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Rema Rajeshwari, superintendent of police for the Indian Police Service, attends an event to raise awareness on fake news in Balgera village, Telangana. At a time when governments around the world are grappling with fake news, Rajeshwari’s campaign to stop the spread of bogus social media messages in her district seems to be working. There’s been no fake news-related death in more than 400 villages under her control. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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Across India, social media rumours have caused rural villagers to patrol in anxious groups on the look-out for anyone they don’t recognize. In May and June alone, at least six people died in WhatsApp-related mob attacks in Assam, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. There’s also simmering tensions over Hindu vigilante groups who’ve targeted and killed Muslims. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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In the village of Balgera, Thirumalesh Boya, a 21-year-old construction worker, holds up his battered smartphone to show a bogus message featuring the image of a policeman. “High Alert Please Share As Much As Possible,” it says, before warning of murderous gangs. Boya says he forwarded the message, before learning better from the police. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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A banner with Rajeshwari’s image is displayed during a fake news awareness event in Balgera village. “You see these messages, these photos and videos, but you don’t check if they’re real or fake, you just forward them,” Rajeshwari told them. “Don’t spread these messages. And when strangers come to your village, don’t take the law into your hands. Don’t kill them.” (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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Rajeshwari speaks with colleagues as she arrives for the awareness event. With an election due in 2019, some worry a surge of fake, politicized messages could lead to more violence, stoking tensions and sparking religious riots. Rajeshwari said she saw a spike in messages during recent state elections in neighbouring Karnataka, and fears more ahead of national polls. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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Rema Rajeshwari’s efforts are offering a local antidote to a global phenomenon. While US President Donald Trump and others use the term “fake news” to discredit negatives stories, false messages are sowing chaos in India’s villages through WhatsApp, which has more users in India than any other country. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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WhatsApp spokesman Carl Woog said some use the messaging service to spread “harmful misinformation,” but added the company is trying to make that more difficult ahead of India’s next election. Rajeshwari worries that the region has always been sensitive and WhatsApp rumors have the potential to spark violent riots if Hindus clash with Muslims. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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In Rajeshwari’s district, gruesome videos and photos have created mass hysteria, prompting villagers to form stick-wielding patrols to harass strangers. Beating fake news seems impossible as more than 200 million Indians use WhatsApp to send 13.7 billion messages each day, according to Neha Dharia, a former Ovum analyst and consultant in Bangalore. Access to cheap smartphones has spread WhatsApp to millions who can’t read, let alone analyse videos. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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When she arrived in March, Rajeshwari assigned villages to constables who are responsible for visiting locals at least once a week to speak on social issues like child marriage. On one visit, a policeman found villagers who normally sleep outside in the summer huddling inside, petrified by videos warning of child kidnappers. (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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Rema Rajeshwari, addresses villagers on fake news awareness. She ordered training sessions for more than 500 officers. “We had to educate our officers first, before sending them out into the community to educate the people.” (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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She also spoke to hundreds of village leaders who deployed drummers to sing about fake news before her team began their work. “We told the villagers -- see, look at the people who are in these videos, they don’t even look like Indians,” she said. “Some of the videos are from South America, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar.” (Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg)
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