Free Internet is Not Being Provided by DoT until 3 May: Fact Check

Amidst the barrage of fake news that is being created and shared on social media platforms, a new one on “free internet” has now gone viral. The incontrovertibly fake message says that “Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has declared that each and every user will receive free internet services till 3rd May 2020 by clicking on the link.”

The official account of MyGovIndia has busted this claim and stated that this message is fake. “A news circulating that the Department of Telecommunications has declared to provide free internet services till 3rd May 2020 is FAKE! Don’t fall prey to such rumours! Stay Informed, Stay Safe!” tweeted MyGovIndia.

Users are also advised to not forward and click on any such link as it could be a phishing attempt as well. After the Coronavirus outbreak in India, several such fake messages have been doing the rounds on WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. Social media platforms have taken the issue of fake news menace into account, and have also announced various measures to combat the same.

WhatsApp recently introduced a limit to ensure that messages can only be forwarded to one chat at a time. The Facebook-owned platform last year introduced an indicator in the form of arrows to make people aware of forwarded messages. WhatsApp claims that the previous limits it set on forwarded messages to constrain virality led to a 25% decrease in message forwards globally at the time.

Twitter, and Facebook also published on the respective blogs a list of guidelines to identify fake news. Nevertheless, the Coronavirus outbreak in India has still become a breeding ground for scams and misinformation. Therefore, viewers must always be on the lookout for unsolicited phone call scams, fake offers of emergency money for essentials, working from home or job opportunity scams, and so on.

“To avoid falling prey to these scams, seek information from trusted sources, be sceptical of phone calls and text messages around COVID-19 and recognize that work-from-home job opportunities and free money offered on social media are most likely scams. If you feel unwell, consult your medical professional to get care, avoid forwarding messages on WhatsApp or other social media about so-called cures or news related to COVID-19,” said Satnam Narang, Principal Research Engineer at Tenable.