Stop Spreading Rumours on Social Media

The spread of fake news on social media and AI-generated content has almost become a daily occurrence. Especially on platforms like Facebook, people are creating fake photo cards imitating various news media outlets for fun, adding false and fabricated quotes or news. Many unaware users, who lack knowledge about the dangerous manipulation capabilities of AI technology, fail to recognise these as satire and instead believe them to be true. They then further spread these falsehoods through social media and message forwarding, negatively impacting public perception.
We should resist rumours, but first we must learn how to identify them. To recognise rumours, we need to understand that every piece of information we encounter must be evaluated to determine whether it is true or misinformation. Information can generally be classified into three types: misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
Misinformation refers to false information that is spread unintentionally; the person sharing it does not realise that it is inaccurate. Disinformation, on the other hand, is spread deliberately—often to gain likes, followers, and reach on social media. These sensational and eye-catching false contents are frequently shared using fake identities. Nowadays, disinformation is commonly seen, especially on Facebook. AI-generated fake photo cards or videos are widely used to spread misleading information on various topics, easily deceiving those unfamiliar with AI.
Lastly, malinformation is the most serious and dangerous form. It is used as a powerful weapon to harm opponents by spreading fabricated quotes or incidents that never occurred, often to serve personal interests. Particularly during the thirteenth national election, political instability fuelled such activities on social media. Statements that political leaders never made were later attributed to them, resulting in public criticism.
Rumours and misinformation are like poison to society. They can harm society, the economy, and the state, while also creating mental stress among people. Rumours can even take lives and instil unknown fear in the public. Often, rumours have led to mob violence and even the killing of innocent people. Recently, a garment worker from the Hindu community was beaten to death over alleged religious accusations, which later turned out to be the result of internal conflicts among workers. In another tragic incident, a woman named Renu, who came to gather school admission information for her daughter, fell victim to a child-abduction rumour and was attacked by a mob. We have witnessed many such heartbreaking events, and to prevent such occurrences in the future, we must become more aware.
Awareness from all sides can free us from this toxic spread of rumours. For this, it is essential to gain knowledge about fact-checking and include it in education from the secondary level. People should learn how to use various fact-checking tools. Whenever we receive information, we must verify it thoroughly—through reverse image searches, multiple source verification, and checking whether it is AI-generated.
Journalists must verify information before publishing to ensure it does not create confusion, thereby maintaining media credibility. In addition to online tools, verifying old sources, interviewing eyewitnesses, cross-checking with other newsrooms, and conducting final editorial checks before broadcasting are crucial. In this era of AI-generated information, these measures can be among the most effective safeguards.
Ultimately, the awareness of ordinary people can become the strongest defence against rumours.