Note: The views and opinions expressed in blog/editorial posts are those of the author. They do not reflect the views or opinions of Misbar.
Misinformation has real-world consequences, especially when it is targeted and done on purpose. With over 340 million users, India is Facebook's largest market, while WhatsApp has over 450 million users. In 2020, there was a 20% increase in debunked misinformation targeting minorities. For example, one Indian fact-checking website discovered that in November 2021, India's Muslims were the most targeted group of false and misleading claims. A Facebook employee, curious about the issue of misinformation in India, created a fake user in India and followed all of Facebook's recommendations and algorithms to understand the problem better. As a result, the user's News Feed had become a "near constant barrage of polarizing nationalist content, misinformation, and violence and gore."
Facebook has been accused of failing to do enough and being selective in combating misinformation despite knowing about it for years and identifying India as one of the most "at risk countries." They also identified Hindi and Bengali as significant sources of concern for "automation on violating hostile speech." However, Facebook lacked sufficient content-flagging and local language moderators to prevent misinformation from spreading. This was especially evident in cases involving Bharatiya Janata Party members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi (BJP). Modi's party has a history of exploiting social media platforms during elections. Because of the leading party's silence, the issue of misinformation has become constant rather than fluctuating naturally. Experts say the BJP uses "divisive rhetoric" to stay in power, creating the impression that India's minority is a threat to the Hindu majority.
Minorities in India are increasingly targeted and threatened, with fake news being used to "provoke conflict between" religious communities. Videos of a gathering of right-wing Hindu monks and activists in Haridwar calling for the killing of Muslims went viral in December 2021. Attendees took an oath to convert India from a secular republic to a Hindu nation and to die and kill for it if necessary. Although Muslims have been the most heavily targeted, other minorities such as Sikhs, Dalits, and Christians have also suffered as a result of misinformation.
More recently, Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch, who predicted the Rwandan Genocide, stated that a similar situation is occurring in India, which is being exacerbated by the Government of India's lack of legal action. This is the most recent example of how misinformation and fake news can directly impact the real world. Fake news encouraged and supported by the government has resulted in the demonization and vilification of minorities in India, resulting in open hate speech and even a call for murder, with experts predicting genocide. If immediate action is not taken, it could lead to civil war and destabilize the entire region.
Misbar Sources:
New York Times 1
New York Times 2
Twitter
Boom Live
Newsstatesman
Al-Jazeera
Genocide Watch
The Economist
Alarabiya
The Guardian
