Today more than ever before, the news is partisan. Several studies around the world show that critically reading the news is necessary if one wants to maintain a level head about things. Amidst all this, a new phenomenon has also emerged: fake news.
Although in a manner of speaking, fake news has always been around (in the guise of propaganda), the term gained a rather large application after its usage during the Trump administration. At that point the erstwhile president of the United States used the term to describe news that was critical of him — an irony considering the dubious news sources which praised him. Since then the term – and fake news itself – has seen an astronomical rise within the media, prompting the need for fact-checking at every instance.
In the Indian context, fake news is not only linked with propaganda, but also unscientific and unsubstantiated claims. The rationalists’ fight against superstition in this country goes back centuries and fake news is simply the newest tool in the arsenal of the ignorant. While there are many notable activists who have made it their lives work to battle superstition – such as Gauri Lankesh – perhaps the most prominent voice opposing fake news today is Alt News.
Essentially a news checking operation, Alt News surprisingly usually takes on WhatsApp which has become the means of disseminating copious amounts of fake news at lightning speed. Whether it be regarding current affairs, governance, or religious beliefs, WhatsApp news has become the domain for spreading dangerous ideas uncritically. This has proven especially bothersome during the covid-19 pandemic when ill-advised ‘cures’ and ‘remedies’ have been passed around informally.
Then it is imperative today that one must take the news with a grain of salt. Wait for the facts to emerge and then check whether they can be verified. Unfortunately, this is quite a tedious process and no one has the time to check each and every piece of information they come across. In light of this, it is only advisable to always remain vigilant and open to new viewpoints.
