Fake news on WhatsApp is the order of the day. In many groups and individual chats there are people who spread them and often don’t realize what they are doing. However, there are some tricks to spot all types of hoaxes and here on Androidphoria we will explain them to you.
How to spot fake news on WhatsApp
Most of the methods we will show you require you to consult other sources of information, but the good thing is that you will not have to install another application on your mobile phone. Without further ado, The best ways to spot WhatsApp hoaxes are as follows:
Pay attention to messages that are forwarded many times
Hoax spreaders on WhatsApp usually send messages, audio or photos to many contacts and groups within the application. Those who receive them do the same and they forward the same message to multiple contacts and so on.
Because they are forwarded many times, these messages typically have a label that says “Forwarded Many Times.” Knowing this, if you receive information with the above label, you would do better take it with tweezers and verify its authenticity.
Follow official media and fact-checkers to corroborate any information
If there is one thing you need to do to avoid being fooled by fake news on WhatsApp, it is to follow official sources of information, as well as serious and fact-oriented media. so that you are aware of what is really happening.
It’s also helpful for you to know what the major media outlets are in your country so you know where to look for information. For this reason, we advise you to pay particular attention If they send you a link to a news site you’ve never heard ofjust as if they did it from a website whose name is similar to another one you know.
In Spain you have the news verification service Newtralwhose number is +34 627 280 815. You can send a WhatsApp to that number with the news, video or image that you think may be a hoax so that a team of verification experts can verify it.
If you read us from another country, here we leave you at list of data verification organizations of International fact-checking network. The one we recommended previously is not the only one found in Spain and in this link you will find others that operate in the country.
Take advantage of WhatsApp integration with Google Lens
WhatsApp has launched a feature that lets you search for any image sent to you with Google Lens. But what is all this for? Well, that’s good for check if an image corresponds to the event reported in the news or if someone manipulated it into believing something false. In this way, by checking the origin of the image, you will know if it corresponds to what is reported.
The best thing is that you will not need to download and install the Google Lens application to take advantage of this function, since WhatsApp uses the web version. Using it will be very simple, you just have to open an image sent via chat, press the three-button menu (it’s at the top right) and choose the option “Search the web”.
Be careful of images made with artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence has marked a before and after in the world of technology. However, while it can be used to do many good things, it can also be used to do harm. And the propagators of hoaxes They used it to create false images to deceive others.
The good news is that there are several methods to know if an image was created by artificial intelligence that we talked about recently. Additionally, you can use Google Lens to confirm whether a photo was taken with AI or is authentic.
The most important recommendation to avoid falling for fake news on WhatsApp
Finally, the fundamental thing to avoid falling for a hoax is doubt the information receivedboth what makes you happy and what makes you indignant. People end up spreading a hoax because it aligns with their beliefs, ideologies, and desires, and also because it causes them great indignation.
For this reason the best advice we can give you is this Don’t get carried away by your emotions when you receive information on WhatsApp and take the time to verify it before forwarding or sharing it. It will only take you a couple of minutes and that amount of time is practically nothing in your daily life.
And you … Do you know another method to recognize a hoax or a false notification on WhatsApp? Leave us your comment and Share this article if it helped you.
