PIB Fact check team busting fake News and misinformation on Govt policies

In order to check the spread of fake news on social media PIB set up a dedicated unit namely PIB FACT CHECK to bust the fake News and misinformation on Govt policies and schemes

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting

In order to check the spread of fake news on social media and following observations of the Supreme Court, PIB set up a dedicated unit to bust rumours getting viral on the social media. ‘PIBFactCheck’ is a verified handle on Twitter that continuously monitors trending messages on social media platforms and conducts comprehensive review of its contents to bust fake news. Besides, PIB_India handle and various PIB regional unit handles on Twitter are posting official and authentic version of any item on Twitter using the hashtag #PIBFactCheck for the benefit of the Twitter community at large.

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Any person can submit to PIBFactCheck any social media message, including text, audio and video, to check its authenticity. These can be submitted online on the link https://factcheck.pib.gov.in/ or on Whatsapp No. +918799711259 or email: [email protected]. The details are also available on PIB website: https://pib.gov.in.

PIBFactCheck suo moto posted a tweet in Hindi busting the myth that insecticides like the Sodium Hypochloride can be sprayed on people, stating the fact that it is used to disinfect articles frequently touched by people and can be harmful on humans. A similar clarification in English was tweeted by PIB Mumbai.

Meanwhile PIB Lucknow busted a rumour that UP Police, UP Dial 112, has issued Rules & Regulations for operating WhatsApp groups. It was clarified that no such Advisory has been issued. PIB Lucknow also busted a fake media report that Ambedkar Nagar youth Rizwan died due to injuries inflicted by the police. It was clarified the victim’s post-mortem report states that death occurred due to pericardial effusion, submitting pictures of the 4-page post-mortem report.

Fake News Busted by PIB Fact Check

1.Ministry of Railways was planning to cut salaries and pension of employees due to the ongoing lockdown

In a reiteration of a previous post, the fact check account re-posted content busting the fake news doing rounds of social media, which claimed that Ministry of Railways was planning to cut salaries and pension of employees due to the ongoing lockdown. PIB Fact Check has re-iterated that the news was fake and no such deduction was being considered by the Ministry.
https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1252541165083127813?s=20

2. Children were having to eat Frogs due to shortage of food

PIB Fact Check had also issued a counter to a malicious video being widely circulated on social media which claimed children in Jehanabad in Bihar were having to eat frogs due to shortage of food because of the lockdown. An investigation by the district administration discovered that families of the children had sufficient food at their home.
https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1252169585832255488?s=20

3. People were eating snakes due to shortage of food

A similar claim emanated from Arunachal Pradesh which claimed people were eating snakes due to shortage of food. The PIB regional branch in Guwahati clarified citing the State Government that the State had sufficient food stocks to last three months and that the news item was fake. It also added that regular food supplies were being made to the State.
https://twitter.com/PIB_Guwahati/status/1252570210382602240?s=20

4. Free internet is being provided to all by the Department to enable them to work from home, and can be availed by clicking on a given link

Fact Check Unit of Press Information Bureau has today clarified in a tweet that Department of Telecom is not giving free internet to all users till 3rd May, 2020. The fake information in circulation has claimed that free internet is being provided to all by the Department to enable them to work from home, and can be availed by clicking on a given link. PIB Fact Check has clarified that the claim is false and the link is fraudulent.
https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1252933594579824643?s=20

5. Penal action against company directors & management, if employees test positive for COVID 19

Claim: MHA Guidelines prescribe penal action against company directors & management, if employees test positive for #COVID_19

Fact: MHA Guidelines misinterpreted. Penalties under DM Act’05 applicable if offence occurs with consent, cognisance or negligence of employer. https://twitter.com/PIBHomeAffairs/status/1252897072526704640?s=20

6. Ministry of Tourism has issued letter asking for hotels to be closed till 15th October, 2020 due to coronavirus outbreak

In another counter, PIB Fact Check has re-iterated its clarification that the Ministry of Tourism has not issued any letter asking for hotels to be closed till 15th October, 2020 due to coronavirus outbreak.

No letter has been issued by Ministry of Tourism on closing of hotels/restaurants till 15th Oct 2020 amidst Corona Outbreak.
It’s a request to all to ignore such messages and only believe the official communication https://twitter.com/PIBFactCheck/status/1252888187363442689?s=20

7.Assamese people have not contracted COVID19 because of immunity and this has prompted ICMR to study the genetics of such people.

Assam regional unit of PIB has pointed out that ICMR is not contemplating a study on immunity of indigenous Assamese people. The tweet is a fact check response to another tweet which has claimed that indigenous Assamese people have not contracted COVID19 because of immunity and this has prompted ICMR to study the genetics of such people. https://twitter.com/PIB_Guwahati/status/1252932862971707392?s=20

Source : PIB