Fake news adds to India’s flood torment

Kochi : Cristiano Ronaldo has not donated $11 million to the Kerala flood disaster fund and there are no cracks in a key dam, but India’s fake news machine has been working overtime to fuel confusion and fear. The Kerala state government and India’s military have issued rare warnings about viral social media messages as they confront the aftermath of floods which have killed some 420 people.

The deluge of false news, videos and claims also comes as the Indian government steps up pressure on Facebook, WhatsApp and other platforms to act against fake news, blamed for inciting more than 20 lynchings in the past two months. Some postings have been relatively harmless. Portuguese football superstar Ronaldo is often linked to big donations after a catastrophe that makes international headlines.

But Indian fact-checking websites like Boomlive.in have highlighted how many people are using Ronaldo’s supposed donation to criticise the federal government’s response to the crisis. The central government has pledged almost $100 million in aid so far. In the clip an unidentified man, quoting a supposed friend in the office of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says that within three hours the surrounding area will be inundated.