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Despite removing fake accounts, 1 in 2 Indians receiving fake news via FB, WhatsApp: Survey

Agencies
April 10, 2019

New Delhi, Apr 10: Despite tall claims made by Facebook that it is removing 10 lakh fake accounts a day in India, a survey revealed on Tuesday that one in two Indians has received fake news in the last 30 days and Facebook and WhatsApp are the platforms which are being used excessively to misinform the users.

The survey by online startup Social Media Matters and New Delhi-based Institute for Governance, Policies and Politics found that over 53 per cent of Indians received fake news related to the upcoming elections over various social media platforms.

"Nearly 62 per cent of the population believes that the upcoming elections will be influenced by the misinformation that the users are receiving," the findings showed.

The 18-25 age group that led the conversation constituted 54 per cent of the sample population.

"Facebook and WhatsApp are the leading platforms being used to disseminate misinformation. The survey stated that 96 per cent of the sample population received fake news via WhatsApp," the findings showed.

An estimated 900 million voters (including 9.4 per cent new voters) are battling the influence of fake news as India goes to the polls from April 11.

"Since half-a-billion voters have access to Internet, fake news can have a massive impact on the elections," said the survey.

Nearly 41 per cent stated they made efforts to authenticate a news by searching it on Google, Facebook and Twitter.

About 54 per cent suggested that they have never been affected by fake news but 43 per cent of them have known people who have been misled by the same.

The survey titled '#DontBeAFool' covered nearly 700 users including 56 per cent men, 43 per cent women and 1 per cent transgenders.

Facebook on Monday said it was working for more than 18 months now to make sure that the Indian elections were fair and free from interference, both foreign and domestic.

Facebook last week removed nearly 700 Pages, Groups and accounts in India for violating its policies on what it calls "coordinated inauthentic behaviour" and spam.

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News Network
April 6,2020

Kasaragod, Apr 6: Even as the number of positive cases of Novel Coronovirus is on increase in this district, the ten-member medical team from Thiruvananthapuram on Monday will inspect and review modalities to convert the proposed Kasaragod medical college into a COVID-19 hospital.

Given the constraints being faced by the district hospital in Kanhangad near here, the 200-beded Kasaragod medical college hospital in Ukkinada near here would be equipped to cater to the Covid-19 patients on isolation.

The ten member medical experts who reached here late on Sunday, are on a special mission to immediately equip the hospital as to convert it as a Covid-19 centre.

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News Network
February 17,2020

Bengaluru, Feb 17: The Karnataka govt has set up an exclusive helpline 104 'Arogya Sahayavani' for Coronavirus assistance to people with recent travel history to China and other affected countries, a statement said here on Monday.

According to the statement, the Karnataka Department of Family and Welfare set up the exclusive helpline 104, 'Arogya Sahayavani' on Sunday. People, who recently traveled to China and other affected countries and who have developed symptoms of Covid-19 virus are requested to immediately contact 104–Arogya Sahayavani or the health authorities and provide all necessary details in order to take precautionary measures.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the recent novel Coronavirus (COVID 2019) as an International Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 20,2020

Mangaluru/ Udupi, Jul 20: Dakshina Kannada has recorded 89 new covid-19 cases and five deaths whereas as Udupi recorded 98 cases in past 24 hours. 

Dakshina Kannada 

With five new deaths, the covid-19 death toll in the district mounted to 82. Among the five deceased, two are from Mangaluru taluk, one from Beltangady taluk, one from Bantwal taluk and one from Chikkamangaluru district. The deceased include a 2 month old child (from Bantwal). 

Out of the 89 cases, eleven persons had contracted the disease from primary contacts. Two persons had returned from the Gulf. Forty-five persons are suffering from influenza-like illness (ILI), and sixteen persons are suffering from Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI). The health officials are tracing the contacts of fifteen others.

Meanwhile, 57 persons were also discharged from the hospital after complete recovery.

Udupi

With 98 new covid-19 cases, the total number of cases in the district today mounted to 2,321. Among them only 661 are currently active. 

1650 patients have been discharged from the hospital after complete recovery, and 11 persons have succumbed to COVID-19 in the district.

As of now, 213 throat swab samples are pending for results, 54 samples were sent for testing on July 20. On Sunday, July 20, 251 samples have tested negative. As of now, a total of 22357 swab samples out of the 24891 have tested negative for the coronavirus.

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