WhatsApp number 9071666667 to curb fake news on COVID-19: Andhra Pradesh DGP

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh police on Wednesday launched a Whatsapp number (9071666667) to curb fake news on coronavirus. The helpline is a platform for people to check the authenticity of the news or information they receive via social media and websites. Director General of Police (DGP) Gautam Sawang launched the number at Police Headquarters in Mangalagiri. 

Addressing the media, Sawang said the WhatsApp number will be monitored by the cybercrime division of the Crime Investigation Department (APCID). A team of officials will verify the facts on social media posts and online news items. Explaining the necessity of a fact-checker in view of surge in fake news over COVID-19 crisis, the DGP said,” At a time when the entire State is working overtime to combat COVID-19, people should understand the gravity of the situation. False and unverified messages may create communal tensions.” 

He requested the people to make use of the helpline to check the authenticity of any doubtful content on social media and not to share any information without confirming its authenticity. “People targeting a particular community over Covid situation citing the Delhi religious meet will be dealt with harshly,” Sawang warned. The DGP said as many as 1,167 people from the State visited Delhi for the religious meeting and 1,033 of them and their primary and secondary contacts were identified. 

“We also traced the places they visited through their call records and mobile phone signals. Efforts are underway to find all people with Delhi travel history,” he added. Badminton player PV Sindhu, actors Nikhil Siddharth and Adivi Sesh, who participated in the event through video conference,  explained the need of fact-checking social media posts and said there is a huge need to curb fake news. They urged people to stay at their homes to check the virus  spread. 

‘No proof of contracting virus via currency’

A latter allegedly sent by the DGP to police officials asking them to be cautious on the usage of currency notes as they might be carriers of coronavirus turned out to be “fake”. “It is not sent by the DGP. It is (currency notes) one of the possibilities of contacting the infection and our staff in office have incorporated it in one of the many routine messages sent on a daily basis alerting units on the ground,’’ a release from gthe DGP office said. Switzerland-based Bank for International Settlements said risk of contracting the infection from handling money is low. “To date, there are no known cases of COVID-19 transmission via notes”