On January 21, farmer unions rejected the Centre’s proposal to keep the farm bills in abeyance for 18 months and reiterated their demand for the repeal of farm laws. The…
The year that was: Misinformation trends of 2020
The word ‘unprecedented’ only mildly captures the year 2020. The coronavirus pandemic did more than confine the privileged inside their homes and leave the destitute to their fates. It has…
Twitter fails to enforce policy for suspended users as many pro-BJP accounts reappear
A hashtag celebrating the revival of a suspended account took Twitter by storm on November 27. ‘#TrueIndologyIsBack’ was used to welcome a handle by the same name, permanently suspended by…
Old photo from anti-CAA protest shared as ‘Hathras Bhabhi’ at farmers’ protest
“Hathras bhabhi has become a farmer today,” wrote National Vice President of BJYM, Santosh Ranjan Rai, claiming that a woman seen in red in a photograph with Sikh protestors is…
The link between misinformation and radicalisation: Revisiting a Delhi riots hate speech video
The peaceful protests against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 in the national capital turned violent on February 23. Riots between Hindu and Muslim communities prevailed for a week in…
Delhi riots ‘fact-finding’ report accepted by Amit Shah replete with false, unsubstantiated claims
On May 29, Home Minister Amit Shah accepted a fact-finding report on Delhi riots by Delhi-based NGO Call for Justice. Several media outlets reported about this including Times Now and…
Pornographic image used to target JMI student Ladeeda Farzana
A Twitter handle @GahlotKanpur whose bio reads “active BJP worker” shared two photographs — an image of Muslim women talking to AIMIM chief Asaddudin Owaisi juxtaposed with a picture of…
FIR against Sudhir Chaudhary no badge of honour, ‘jihad chart’ lifted from dubious page
Zee News editor-in-chief Sudhir Chaudhary tweeted on May 7, “Here’s my Pulitzer Prize for reporting the truth”, and shared a copy of an FIR filed against him. The FIR states…
Unrelated image, pornographic photo shared to target JMI scholar Safoora Zargar
The arrest of Jamia scholar Safoora Zargar has given rise to the usual misogyny and vulgar remarks that any vocal woman has to routinely face on social media. Zargar is…
False claims about Safoora Zargar’s marriage and pregnancy viral on social media
Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) scholar Safoora Zargar was arrested on April 10 and subsequently charged under non-bailable offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Since her arrest, social media has…