Meta Launches ‘Know What’s Real’ Campaign To Create Awareness Against The Spread Of Misinformation

Meta has launched an integrated safety campaign ‘Know What’s Real’, in an effort to drive awareness around the importance of fighting misinformation in today’s digital age. The campaign aims to educate users on identifying and addressing misinformation on WhatsApp and Instagram by promoting digital best practices and highlighting available safety tools.

The 8-week-long campaign highlights in-built product features and safety measures present on WhatsApp like block and report, forward labels that equip users to spot misinformation and prevent its spread further, and encourages people to verify information that sounds suspicious or inaccurate via fact-checking organizations on WhatsApp Channels.

On Instagram, Meta teams up with a robust network of fact checkers to verify information. If something false, like deepfakes, is found, they put warning labels in the app to tell people it's not accurate. We also limit the reach of content that is labeled “False” by our fact-checkers so less people can see it. Through the campaign, Meta is encouraging people to not forward or share any inauthentic content and instead report the same to the Grievance Officer or any of the independent fact checking partners to verify information.

Meta’s fact-checking program in India includes partnerships with 11 independent fact-checking organizations which is one of the largest networks of fact-checking partners globally. These partners have the capabilities to fact check content in 15 Indian languages, including Kannnada, as well as English – enabling people to identify, review, verify information and help prevent the spread of misinformation on Meta platforms.

Commenting on the launch of the campaign, Shivnath Thukral, Director, Public Policy India, Meta, said, “Meta is committed to fighting misinformation online. We have invested in industry leading programs like setting up a robust network of independent fact-checkers that work to debunk false claims and help citizens access reliable information, including collaborating with MCA to launch a WhatsApp tipline to curb AI-generated misinformation. The campaign is an extension of our ongoing efforts to prevent the spread of misinformation and serves as a simple safety guide to educate people on the role they can play to combat it.”

Just last week, the company announced the launch of a dedicated fact-checking helpline on WhatsApp in an effort to combat AI-Generated misinformation – particularly deepfakes, and help people connect with verified and credible information. Meta also supports the cross-industry and multi-stakeholder led Misinformation Combat Alliance’s (MCA) initiative to set up a self-regulatory organization (SRO) for third-party fact checkers.