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TLI Fact Check Recap: How Mainstream Media Outlets Spread Misinformation In 2022
Writer: Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
India, 4 Jan 2023 12:43 PM GMT
Editor : Bharat Nayak |
As the founding editor, Bharat had been heading the newsroom during the formation years of the organization and worked towards editorial policies, conceptualizing and designing campaign strategies and collaborations. He believes that through the use of digital media, one could engage the millennial's in rational conversations about pertinent social issues, provoking them to think and bring a behavioral change accordingly.
Creatives : Jakir Hassan
A journalist at heart loves the in-depth work of reporting, writing, editing, research, and data analysis. A digital and social media enthusiast.
The Logical Indian launched its Fact Check initiative in an effort to inspect the rapid and unchecked spread of information across social media. From fake news shared by mainstream media to the misleading claim made by news agencies, here is how we debunked similar claims in 2022.
2022 saw a rapid spread of misinformation following several trending issues. Several news media outlets spread misinformation by circulating claims as news without requisite cross-checking and verifying.
The Logical Indian Fact Check Team monitored news media outlets to detect several misleading trends. Our team fact-checked claims by several media outlets, such as the Times of India, NDTV, Zee News, News18, and broadcast channels, such as Republic Bharat and TV9 Bharatvarsh.
The news media outlets circulated misinformation about political leaders such as Nitish Kumar and Aditya Thackeray regarding the Assam floods, the FIFA World Cup, and even an entire broadcast based on false allegations of Chinese suppression at a port in Sri Lanka.
1. Man seen dancing in a video is not Pakistani politician Aamir Liaquat Hussain
A viral video showing a man dancing to a Bollywood song, "Tip Tip Bharsa Pani '' was widely shared on social media and reported by Times Now & Navbharat. The man was claimed as Aamir Liaquat Hussain, a member of the Pakistan National Assembly and a TV host.
However, the man in the viral video was Shoaib Shakoor, a choreographer, not a politician.
2. Assam Tea Seller Boy: Media Outlets Circulate Fraudulent Story
In early February, news of an Assam tea seller boy qualifying NEET and securing a seat at AIIMS surfaced all over the internet. The boy, identified as Rahul Kumar Das, a resident of Assam, was reported to have cracked the exam on the first attempt.
We checked Rahul's scorecard on the NEET Results website and his original mark sheet, which showed his All India ranking as 9,29,881. His scorecard was found to be morphed, and the locals alleged that Rahul, his mother, and his younger sister were all absconding.
3. TV9 Bharatvarsh Creates Misleading Broadcast Of Hambantota In Sri Lanka
On April 14, major Hindi news media outlet TV9 Bharatvarsh published a video report showing footage of Hambantota, Sri Lanka. The channel claimed that there was restrictive Chinese control in the strategic port, and Uyghur Muslims were forced into slave labor there.
We contacted an on-ground reporter from Dainik Bhaskar and conducted thorough research. We found that the unemployment rate in Hambantota has worsened over the years since the port was handed over to the Chinese government. The commemorative plaque and the wall conveys that the Great Love Village in Hambantota was not built by the Chinese but by the Taiwanese foundation Tzu Chi.
The claim that there are 500 checkpoints or snipers with a heavy presence of the Chinese army in the village was false, and the TV9 report was purely sensational.
4. Assam Floods: Video of Collapsing Bridge actually from Indonesia
In May, the floods in Assam prompted media channels to provide extensive coverage of the issue. Aaj Tak and TV9, India TV and Asianet News, and other media houses shared a video showing a bridge collapsed due to a strong water flow, mentioning it as visuals from the Assam flood.
Through our investigation, we found that the viral video is from the Kambaniru Bridge of Indonesia and dates back almost one year, with no connection to the Assam floods.
5. Muslim Miscreants did not vandalise Hindu Idols; Media Outlets Made False Claims
On May 31, 2022, an incident of vandalisation of Hindu idols in Karnataka's Hassan district was widely reported by media outlets through a communal claim, implying that the miscreants who vandalised the idols were from the Muslim community.
We reviewed media reports and contacted the Superintendent of Police of Arsikere, where the incident occurred. Hindus were involved in the incident.
6. Aditya Thackeray never mentioned his Cabinet ministerial position in his Twitter bio, contrary to media claims
Amidst the rebel crisis in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, media outlets such as Financial Express, Zee News, The Economic Times, Pune Mirror, News18, and Organiser circulated a claim of Maharashtra's Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackerey removing his ministerial position from his Twitter bio.
The TLI Fact Check team scoured through web archives to conclude that the Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Aaditya Thackerey never mentioned his Cabinet ministerial position in his bio.
7. Telangana Floods: Video Shared by Media Outlets Actually from November 2021
During the Telangana floods that occurred in July, a viral video showing a helicopter airlifting people from a JCB tractor in the middle of a turbulent water body was shared by news outlets India Today, Zee News English, Telangana Today, CNN-News 18, Asianet News and Economic Times.
The incident of the IAF helicopter dates back to November 2021, when ten persons were stuck in the surging waters of the Chitravati River in the Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh.
8. Media Outlets Circulate Nitish Kumar's 2020 hoarding as recent
An image showing Nitish Kumar's picture on a hoarding with the words 'Nitish belongs to everyone' was circulated by media outlets such as ABP News, India Today, ANI, NDTV, Times of India, and News24 following Nitish Kumar's resignation as the coalition Chief Minister on August 9, 2022, and subsequent leadership of the Janata Dal alliance along with Tejasvi Yadav as his deputy.
We found that the images showing the poster dates back to at least October 2020. Reportedly, the poster was installed by Janata Dal (United) members in the run-up to the Bihar assembly elections 2020.
9. Republic Bharat creates an entire 'China Coup' broadcast based on a satirical tweet
In September, the Hindi news channel Republic Bharat broadcast an entire news segment showing visuals from China and purported "elite forces" while claiming that military personnel were planning a coup and had gathered outside Xi Jinping's residence.
The TLI Fact Check Team found that the visuals were shared by a Der Spiegel journalist, Georg Fahrion, and were shared with a sarcastic tone meant to mock the rumors of a coup in China. Fahrion clarified that the visuals were sarcastic in nature while criticising Republic Bharat.
10. Media Outlets Circulate 11-year old story as recent Development in 2G Spectrum Case
On October 5, 2022, news agency IANS published a story as a recent development in the 2G spectrum case, which stated that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed its first charge sheet against former Union Telecom Minister A. Raja.
The IANS report was circulated by news outlets such as Business Standard, Deccan Herald, and Zee News through a syndicated automated feed.
The TLI Fact Check Team found that the report regarding the charge sheet against A. Raja dated back to 2011 and was initially published as a Times of India report. Due to a mix-up, the news was republished by IANS in its syndicated feed as a recent development, and this old report was republished again across several media outlets.
11. FIFA World Cup: Saudi Arabia did not promise to gift its players with a Rolls Royce
After Saudi Arabia's historic win against Argentina in the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2022, news media outlets such as Times Now, Hindustan Times, Business Today, NDTV, Free Press Journal, Tv9 Bharatvarsh, ABP Live, India.com, Mirror, and Daily Mail alleged that the royal family would present the Saudi Arabian World Cup squad with a Rolls Royce to each member, with the promise allegedly being made by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
We cross-checked statements by the Saudi Arabian footballer Saleh Al-Shehri and the football coach of Saudi Arabia, Herve Renard; both refuted the claim.
12. Media Outlets Circulated a 2018 Video of Women Being Whipped as a recent incident in Afghanistan
On December 7, 2022, the Taliban administration publicly executed a man accused of murder in western Afghanistan, following which several news organisations such as NDTV, News18, ABP Live, Outlook, and Firstpost, published reports with a video that allegedly showed a recent incident of public flogging of women in Afghanistan.
Our investigation indicated that the incident dates back to at least 2018, reportedly showing an incident from Darzab District in the southwesternmost district of Jowzjan Province, Afghanistan, where two women were flogged for traveling without male companions. Thus, we found that the media reports circulating the video as recent were misleading.
If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at factcheck@thelogicalindian.com or WhatsApp at 6364000343.
Also Read: TLI Fact Check 2022 Recap: Notable Instances Of Political Misinformation
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