At the start of the pandemic, with bankers and traders trapped at home for months on end, employees at the country’s largest banks turned to WhatsApp and other outside messaging apps to stay connected. (PTI)

PTI Fact Check Joins WhatsApp to Combat Fake News on Broadcast

Jim HendlerSeptember 20, 23 Social Media, Teams, WhatsApp

PTI Fact Check, the fact-checking division of the Press Trust of India (PTI), has established its own WhatsApp Channel to address the issue of fake news and misinformation circulating on social media. By joining this channel, WhatsApp users can remain informed about any false information that may arise on various platforms.

The Meta-owned instant messaging platform launched a one-way sending tool in India and over 150 countries last week.

PTI Fact Check’s WhatsApp channel provides access to more than 400 fact-checked stories, tips on spotting and checking misinformation and disinformation on social media, and also provides an opportunity to participate in the organization’s fact-checking efforts.

The significance of the change increases in view of assembly elections in five states this year and Lok Sabha polls next year. During this time, the flow of fake and misleading information is expected to increase sharply on social media platforms. The WhatsApp channel allows users to easily receive stories about viral claims verified by PTI.

WhatsApp channels provide private updates from organizations, services, and notable individuals from various genres and industries that people can follow. It does so in a new “Updates” tab, separate from conversations with family, friends and communities. Channels are automatically filtered based on the users’ country of origin and can also be searched by name and category within the platform.

“We’re excited about this launch – launching WhatsApp Channels in India, a simple, trusted and private way to get the important updates that matter to you. We welcome the biggest Indian and global celebrities, sports teams, artists and creators to follow directly on WhatsApp (Indian Cricket Team, Diljit Dosanjh , Katrina Kaif, just to name a few), Sandhya Devanathan, head of Meta India, said in a LinkedIn post announcing the launch of the WhatsApp channels.

“Our goal with WhatsApp Channels is to build the most private broadcasting service available, where people can follow accounts based on their interests and hobbies,” he said.

How to Follow PTI Fact Checker on WhatsApp Channels:

Users can open the URL and follow the PTI Fact Check WhatsApp channel or contact the WhatsApp number 91-8130503759 to get the QR code for ordering. They can share any claim or social media post that they feel needs to be checked and verified.