Even as Kerala was battling a flood on the ground, there has been a deluge of fake news in social media platform, aimed at spreading fear and insecurity among the people. Three major such fake news items went viral over WhatsApp and Facebook, prompting authorities to issue clarifications and warnings against the spread of misinformation.
The first such fake message on Friday claimed that all of the major dams, including the Idukki dams, have reached capacity and that the shutters are about to be opened. Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) had to come out with a clarification saying that all the dams, including Idukki, Pampa, Kakki, Sholayar, Idamalayar, Kundala and Mattupetti, have filled up only to around 30% of their full capacity. It requested people living in these regions to not fall for these rumours.
Within hours, BSEB had again to press its fake news busting capabilities into service after a second claim began spreading online, on how the entire State will be experiencing power outages for the next two days. This time, a post on the KSEB Facebook page warned of legal action against anyone spreading such fake news.
But this clarification ended up creating some confusion later, as people did not initially believe the KSEB announcement in the evening that power supply to Kannur and Kasaragod districts have been stopped due to floods and landslips. Many images from last year’s floods were used by fake news peddlers to spread misleading information online.
Another fake news that began spreading around noon claimed that petrol pumps in the State will remain closed for the next three days, as tankers are stuck on the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway due to incessant rain. Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran put up a post busting this fake news. He said that spreading such news is punishable under Section 54 of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, with up to one year of imprisonment and a fine.
Last year too, there was a massive spread of fake news online during the unprecedented floods that hit Kerala. An imposter wearing an Indian Army combat uniform appeared in a video spreading misinformation about the rescue and relief efforts in Kerala, prompting the Indian Army to issue a warning.
The fake messages ranged from stories about bursting of dams to fake calls for rescue. The volume of fake information was so much that the Chief Minister had to issue a warning to those involved in such activities to abstain from spreading misinformation on WhatsApp and social media networks.