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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
May 12,2020

Bengaluru, May 12: The South Western Railway on Tuesday informed that a 'Shramik special train' has left Karnataka for Bihar carrying 1,428 migrants onboard.

The special train carrying migrants to Motihari, Bihar departed from Kabaka Puttur in Karnataka.

Passengers were observing social distancing norms during boarding.

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had recently granted permission for movement of stranded citizens including migrants labourers, workers, students, tourists to return to their native towns.

As per the list provided by the Karnataka government, South Western Railway is arranging special trains. These special trains are being run from point to point with no stoppages en-route.

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News Network
March 31,2020

Hubballi, Mar 31: In a bid to increase the country's capacity for isolation facilities, the Railways is converting sleeper class coaches into isolation wards by modifying the coaches as per prototype issued by Railway Board to make them suitable to act as quarantine hubs. On South Western Railway (SWR) a total of 312 coaches will be converted for isolation/quarantine wards.

"The coaches will be equipped with basic facilities needed as per medical guidelines. Provision is being made for charging points of mobiles and laptops. Mosquito nets with space for paramedics etc are also being made available. Each coach will provide 8 berth cabin for isolation facility.

Zonal Railways have been advised to prepare coaches as per isolation cabin prototype to meet the needs of the patients by Railway Board," a press statement of SWR reads.

The efforts of Indian Railways have been aimed not only to supplement the present health infrastructure of the nation but also to contribute to national efforts to fight the coronavirus.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of coronavirus cases in the country stand at 1,251.

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coastaldigest.com news network
August 4,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 4: As the stage is set for the ground-breaking ceremony for Ram temple construction at Ayodhya on Wednesday, retired Supreme Court judge N Santosh Hegde has called for the promotion of religious harmony and peaceful coexistence and respect for different faiths.

"It is a good idea to make that as an object of the temple so that there can be peace in the world," the former Solicitor General of India said when asked if the temple should be promoted as a symbol of national integration, and social and communal harmony.

Hegde said one of the most dangerous things for conflict today is religion. "In that background, there should be some effort from somebody or other to bring about peaceful coexistence, respecting each religion," the former Karnataka Lokayukta told PTI on Tuesday. "It is a good idea to start Bhumi Pujan as an indicator of that or foundation for developing harmony among various religions," he added.

The Supreme Court had in November last year paved the way for the construction of a Ram temple by a Trust at the disputed site of the Babri Masjid's demolition in Ayodhya. It also directed the Centre to allot an alternative 5- acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a new mosque at a "prominent" place in the holy town in Uttar Pradesh. The Uttar Pradesh government has allotted a five-acre land in Dhannipur village in Sohaval Tehsil of Ayodhya for the mosque's construction.

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