Fake news is spreading like wildfire via our smartphones, for example thanks to WhatsApp. Stop the spread of fake news with these tips.
Tips to spot WhatsApp fake news
1. Check the sender
Who is the source? When you suddenly receive an inciting text message from an unknown sender, all alarm bells must go off. Fake news distributors often use fake WhatsApp profiles to convey their message.
By the way, do not completely lower your ‘coverage’ if you do receive a remarkable message from your father, partner or friend. People you know can also spread fake news. Maybe their WhatsApp account has been hacked, or the fake news distributor has assumed their identity.
Therefore, always check whether the phone number is correct and do not rely blindly on the WhatsApp profile picture: it is quite easy to copy.
2. Has the message been forwarded?
A big problem with fake news is that it is often forwarded, or ‘goes viral’. The messages often respond to the emotions of readers, who then forward the app to inform, inform or warn others. WhatsApp can thus be seen as the spiritual successor to the email chain letters of the past.
WhatsApp tries to counter this by marking forwarded messages. Do you see an arrow next to the app? Then the message has been forwarded and the sender has not written it himself. Be extra careful when there are two arrows next to the message. In that case, the message was forwarded at least five times.
3. Are the facts correct?
It sounds obvious, but fake news is news that is incorrect. To distinguish ‘real’ news from fake news, you must therefore check whether the facts are correct. Google is your best friend here, because after one fact-check most fake news messages die pretty quickly. Search for the keywords of the post on a search engine, then go to the search engine’s News tab to see if newspapers and websites also write about it.
If so, the message is usually correct. But journalists can also make mistakes: so be careful.
Also check the spelling of dubious WhatsApp messages. Usually the text is chock-full of sloppy typos, strangely constructed sentences and the punctuation rules are dealt with loosely. Pay special attention when the messages contain links to websites: never tap on this!
4. Have the photos been tampered with?
Fake news in WhatsApp is not limited to text and articles. Incorrect information can also spread through photos or videos. It is therefore important to check these sources for accuracy. Admittedly, it is sometimes quite difficult to see if images have been tampered with or if photos have been edited.
If you are not a Photoshop expert yourself, it is therefore better to consult Google (or another search engine). Try to find out the photo / video received and check, for example, whether (reliable) newspapers, websites and magazines write about it. Is that the case? Then it is likely that the video or photo is correct.
More tips for WhatsApp
With millions of users, WhatsApp is one of the most popular apps in the Netherlands. Almost everyone can send an app, but the chat app has more to it. Take a look at our overview of lesser known WhatsApp functions for an overview of unknown, but no less useful tricks. Are you more into watching? Check out the video below:
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