HOAXES WHATSAPP

Hello, I will talk about hoaxes in Whatsapp.

How to be a more cautious media consumer:

Some fact-checkers have published an article about false rumours in the Internet. They shared a few tips to avoid misinformation:

1. Presume that the information a stranger published is false.
2. Prefer the information from well-known media and journalists. Although it can be incorrect, so it is better to wait for several media to share the same fact.
3. Photos can be fake, as they can be old or manipulated.
4. You should compare the information from different reliable media.

Here are some question you may have:

1. Why is so hard to avoid misinformation on Whatsapp?
Because in Whatsapp, unlike other social networks where everyone can see publically a fake new, groups are limited to 256 people so we cannot know when fake news goes viral.
2. How some fact-checking organisations try to combat this misinformation?
By receiving and responding to messages about fake news, photos and memes, which users send them. In addition, fact-checkers ask readers to share the fact check in the same group as the hoax so as to stem the spread of misinformation.
3. Write an example of fake news.
Recently many people have been sharing by Whatsapp and other social networks that using face masks could produce a lack of oxygen in our blood, which is fake news.

SPAM AND HOAXES

Hello, I will talk about spams and hoaxes.



Spams and hoaxes are types of malware we often receive in our e-mails.
The target of the hoaxes is to be redirected to thousand of persons in order to get the e-mail addresses
for futures actions of spams or phising.
To fight against the spam, e-mail suppliers have systems to avoid them. The antiviruses use to incorporate antispam filters.
To avoid this problem,there are web pages where you can verify the truthfulness of an e-mail or post. For this I will recommend the web snopes, where you can look for a certain new or subject and it will tell if thwy are true, false or misattributed.

Here you have two examples of hoaxes:

1. Bill Gates told George Magazine that an ‘Over-Populated Planet’ would fall to a ‘Lung-

Attacking Virus’.

2. Trump suggested Injecting disinfectants as COVID-19 treatment.

I hope you have learnt more about hoaxes and spam. 

And be careful with the e-mails you receive from strangers.

Bye.