New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) In view of the growing trend of fake news, especially on social media, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has set up a fact-checking unit to verify news related to the government’s ministries, departments and schemes and to alert the public about fake news in circulation.
“Received a forward that looks too good to be true!!! or maybe came across a piece of news that you want verified !! Send it across and we will Fact Check it for you, no questions asked,” the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on its official Twitter handle.
“Ever wondered if a WhatsApp forward is true or just fake news? Or if a tweet/FB (Facebook) post is real? Fret no more!” the Ministry said in the banner along with the hashtag ‘PIB Fact Check’.
The Information and Broadcasting Ministry also urged the people to email snapshots of any “dubious material” they come across on any platform including social media and they will get it checked, but added that only material related to government ministries, departments and schemes will be fact-checked.
On number of occasions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar has called for combating fake news, terming it more “dangerous” than “paid news”.
India Tribune, as an English weekly newspaper, was launched in 1977 in Chicago by its publisher Prashant Shah with a lofty ideal to serve the Asian Indian community in the USA. Over the years, it has grown with all vigor, and now it is being published in three editions – Chicago, New York and Atlanta. India Tribune, a journal of its kind for the family in the USA, has been a household name for many Indians for over three decades with each issue commanding a readership of over 125,000.
