Let us pledge to not be fake news spreaders

This picture has been used for representational purpose

Tackling fake news these days has become as much of a task as effectively handling the pandemic. According to a report in this paper, a viral message has caused much upheaval among citizens. The message states that those taking the vaccine must keep a documented record of it as without it insurance companies could hike policy premiums.

While the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority has been quick to trash the claim, the damage seems to have been done.

This isn't the first instance of fake news causing trouble. At the start of the pandemic, messages were floating around on social media about animals, especially pets, being transmitters of the virus. This led to a flood of instances of abandoned dogs, cats and birds.

Another one was the claim that hydroxychloroquine could treat COVID-19, leading to a dangerous shortage in some countries of the drug that is actually used to treat malaria.

Fake news spreaders use extremely convincing wordplay, guaranteed to hit a raw nerve. But, the need of the hour is the use of the grey cells we have all spent years nurturing. We have to get into the habit of questioning. If we do not have the right human resources available, the Internet could be a good place to seek answers.

The first should, however, be experts in the field of fake news in question. If medical, it is always wise to ask your family doctor. If, in this case, it is about insurance, make the effort to consult friends and family who may know people in the field.

And, most importantly, let us always remember to pause before hitting the forward button. One wise move on our part can save at least a hundred people unwanted anxiety and stress.