FACTS VERSUS FICTION

World Economic Forum's 2024 Global Risks Report has warned that fabricated news and information are likely to be among the most significant threats people will face. It could destabilise the economy, spark unrest, violence, terrorism, and pose a major threat to the stability and security of countries. India, which has emerged as a global market for strong digital infrastructure with better Internet penetration, exacerbates the rise of false news. It has been observed that over the past few years, misleading news and fake news have gained more currency than information provided by legal and formal media and governments. Ironically, fiction is becoming stronger than facts. We are made to believe everything that is thrown at us by social media in this age where everybody passes on information to others without questioning its veracity. It is no wonder then that the market is flooded with disinformation, as the latest report points out. Take the recent case of the actress and influencer, Poonam Pandey, who spread false news about her death in a bid to raise awareness about cervical cancer. Irrespective of whether it hurts the sentiments of citizens, she has managed to shed light on the adverse effects of hyper-gullibility. In this age of hyper-connectivity leading to overexposure to social media, people love to believe everything circulating on the Internet, unmindful of the perils of deep fakes and shallow shams. By faking her death and then announcing that she had faked it, she sends a strong message to doubt everything before believing anything. The true value of truth can only be ascertained when we question or challenge the veracity of the content that is thrown at us on social networking sites.

— VIJAY SINGH ADHIKARI, NAINITAL via email