Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, WhatsApp and Facebook witness rise in fake news circulation: Study

Ahe of 2019 Lok Sabha elections, rate at which misinformation is spreing through social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp could be on rise. According to a new study, one in every two persons may have received fake news in last 30 days.

Fake news and misinformation spreing on digital platforms have always been a growing concern. government has also directed social media companies to prevent abuse of ir platforms and warned m that influencing electorate will t be tolerated.

As a result, internet companies such as Google and Facebook have started to step up ir election safety efforts involving transparency in political s, fact-checking and commissioning tools to keep fake news and misinformation at bay.

As per study conducted by Social Media Matters and Institute for Governance, Policies and Politics (IGPP), more than 53 per cent of respondents claimed that y have received fake news over different social media platforms "due to upcoming elections."

"It has been ted that Facebook and WhatsApp are platforms which are being used excessively to misinform users. An approximate of 1 in two Indians have agreed to have received fake news in last 30 days," study claimed.

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WhatsApp claims to have me significant product changes and worked with partners across civil society to dress harmful consequences of misinformation in run-up to 2019 general elections. Facebook did t comment.

41 per cent of respondents said y me efforts to aunticate news by searching it on Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

Elections in India will begin tomorrow, April 11 and continue till May 19 while counting has been scheduled for May 23. Approximately 900 million voters are eligible to cast ir votes in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

survey ted that around half-a-billion voters have access to Internet, which is why fake news can have a massive impact on elections.

"During election season, escalation of fake news paces faster and eventually impacting decision of voters," it ded.

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62 per cent of respondents felt elections will be "influenced" by misinformation that users are receiving.

" group that has led conversation form 54 per cent of sample population and are between 18-25 years of . survey has been undertaken by 56 per cent males, 43 per cent females and 1 per cent by transs," it said.

findings of survey are based upon a sample size of 628 voters.

(With PTI inputs)