All India Radio-AIR to combat Fake News with Whatsapp

Messaging service WhatsApp announced on Wednesday that it will be launching an awareness drive through the radio to prevent the spread of fake news. The messaging app said that 30-second messages will air as advertisements on various radio channels in Hindi. As part of the drive, people will be told to verify any news before forwarding them.

The radio drive by WhatsApp will be conducted in association with the All India Radio (AIR) in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. The message will be initially delivered in Hindi and then in various regional languages. People who receive provocative messages will be asked to report the issue to the authorities, and they will be cautioned against forwarding any such message.