2018 was an eventful year for all of us. Fact Crescendo started its journey, we became verified signatory of the IFCN code of principles; Facebook & WhatsApp became a part of the problem and then slowly started striving to become responsible for a solution, fact checking slowly gained traction & started becoming a norm in news media ecosystem in India, and then suddenly a demise of India’s loyal & towering son in this climate of political divisiveness, bought a pause… we all shed a tear for Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. After a short pause, the cacophony started again.
And now as 2018 reaches the peak of its own ‘crescendo’ (pun intended!), our Fact Crescendo team collected a list of 18 such stories, which unbelievably went viral on social media & WhatsApp this year.
These stories were shared & talked about a lot on social media and sometimes on regular news media channels also.
When we all would look back at these stories, we would laugh at ourselves that we believed these fake claims and also sadly for us…shared them a lot.
Photoshoped Picture of PM Modi eating being shared on Twitter.
https://factcrescendo.com/fact-check-ias-topper-giving-a-ride-to-her-rickshaw-wala-father/
FACT CHECK: Photoshoped Image of Sardar Patel’s “Statue of Unity”
https://factcrescendo.com/fact-check-new-currency-notes-coins-issued-by-rbi/
Fact Check: Hoax Message Claiming Infected Blood in Cadbury Products
FACT CHECK: Supreme Court Orders Case To Be Filed Against PM Modi in Rafael Deal
Fact Check: Photo-shopped Text ‘420’ On A Football Jersey Held By PM Modi
Fact Check: Viral Sob-Story Of Grand-mother & Grand-daughter Reunion
Truth Behind A Picture of Narendra Modi’s Wife Going Viral On Social Platforms!
Is Indian Currency Being Printed In China, As Claimed By Some Indian Politicians And Media?
Fact Check : Is Rahul Gandhi Watching Porn on His Smartphone?
Fact Check: Fake Message Claiming that Gurugram Policemen Planted Drugs In Car Trunk
These stories sum up the year 2018, even though looking back, these stories look unbelievable but at that time when they went viral, they were shared by people who either believed in them or shared them irrespective due to mischievous intents.
IN CONCLUSION
As 2019 approaches, let us all make an effort to at least minimise if not completely stop, the propagation of fake/false news on social media, by being self-conscientious ourselves.
We also hope, our readers appreciate the efforts of not just Fact Crescendo team, but all those fact checking websites which have continuously tried to educate and make people aware, about false & misleading stories or narratives shared in 2018.
Fact Crescendo team wishes our readers Season Greetings and a ‘factual’ 2019!!
Fact Crescendo advises its readers to refrain from falling prey to unsubstantiated & misleading WhatsApp forwards and social media posts. When in doubt, visit various news media & fact checking websites online.
Dear Readers,
Do you feel that a certain story is fake? Do you know some additional factual details about a claim being shared on social media?
Then you can submit that claim or news here, for our team to verify and fact check for you.
Thanks,
-Fact Crescendo Team-
