A manipulated video of an explosion, claimed to be from a missile strike in Punjab, was later traced to old footage from a gas cylinder blast. A fake screenshot of a “national emergency” announcement also made the rounds, prompting government clarification.
Hyderabad: As border tensions escalate, a flood of fake news is making its way through Indian phones faster than verified updates. From messages claiming “your calls are being recorded” to false reports of airstrikes and ATM shutdowns, misinformation is spreading as rapidly as fear.
One popular forward doing the rounds on WhatsApp claims the government has activated surveillance on all phones and messages, with users warned not to criticise the state or Army. It includes false indicators like “three red ticks” meaning “government tracking.” Another falsely claims ATMs will remain shut for 72 hours and urges people to withdraw cash immediately — causing queues at banks in some areas.
A manipulated video of an explosion, claimed to be from a missile strike in Punjab, was later traced to old footage from a gas cylinder blast. A fake screenshot of a “national emergency” announcement also made the rounds, prompting government clarification.
“The pace at which these rumours are flying is worrying,” said Ruchika V, a cyber safety trainer based in the city. “People are sharing out of panic or patriotism, not realising they’re adding to the confusion.”
Digital rights advocates are now urging people to ‘fight the information war’ just as seriously. “You can’t afford to be neutral. Forwarding fake news is not harmless, it causes panic, divides people, and can even lead to violence,” said Karthik Negi, an IT professional and social activist.
Fake news is also contributing to online polarisation. One side of social media is flooded with calls for aggression and glorified images of war. The other is pleading for peace and urging restraint. The gap between the two is widening, often shaped by whatever misinformation people last consumed.
Fact-checking services have been swamped with user requests. “We’ve had to debunk the same message 10 times in different formats,” said one volunteer. Most platforms have now started flagging war-related misinformation with warning labels.
Activists say the only real solution is awareness. “You don’t need an app. Just stop, ask where the info came from, and if you can’t verify it, don’t share it. That’s it. That’s civil defence now,” Negi advised.
He also warned people to take sides — war or no war, we must be united in our fight against terrorism, he said. “I saw people wanting to be quick to spew opinion and have polarised and radical views — it’s high time they educate themselves and refrain from posting explosive statements,” he added.
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• Don’t forward anything without verifying it first
• Share any information only from official sources
• Avoid emotional posts or those containing ALL-CAPITAL messages
• Spot visual errors (extra fingers, weird blur)
• Check date and context of the message
• Conduct reverse search for images for confirmation
• Check metadata
• Watch for lip-sync mismatch and unnatural blinking in videos
• Ignore anonymous “insider” claims
• Use fact-checking sites
• Don’t trust shady profiles
• Correct others calmly and with proof
