Category: Fake

Weaponizing Narratives: A Study of Pakistan-Linked Misinformation Targeting India

Khushboo Singh

Executive Summary Over the last three months, multiple investigations, fact-checks, and digital monitoring exercises conducted by DFRAC identified a sustained pattern of misinformation campaigns originating from or amplified by Pakistan-linked social media ecosystems targeting India. These campaigns have evolved beyond conventional geopolitical propaganda and increasingly exploit communal sensitivities, regional tensions, political polarization, and public distrust. […]

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Fact Check: Asaduddin Owaisi did not write a letter to the UN claiming Muslims are unsafe in India; the viral claim is fake

Khushboo Singh

A claim is being circulated on social media regarding AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi, alleging that he wrote a letter to the United Nations stating that Muslims are unsafe in India, saying, “Muslims are not safe in Hindustan.” The claim further alleges that the United Nations responded to Owaisi by saying, “Go wherever […]

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Fact Check: Viral image of bee attack on Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand is AI-generated

Khushboo Singh

A picture of Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati is being shared on social media, showing bees attacking him. Users are circulating this image with the claim that the incident took place in Varanasi. While sharing the image, several users are also criticizing Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati. A user named Janardan Mishra shared the picture and wrote, […]

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Fact Check: The claim that a Muslim minister was appointed to the ‘Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department’ in Tamil Nadu is fake

Khushboo Singh

In Tamil Nadu, the government of C. Vijay Joseph has proved its majority in the Assembly. Meanwhile, a claim is being circulated on social media regarding the Vijay government, alleging that it has appointed a Muslim man named Mustafa as the minister of the state’s ‘Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department’. A user named Manoj […]

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Fact Check: Akhilesh did not say he would join the BJP if BSP joins the alliance; fake statement goes viral

Khushboo Singh

A postcard featuring a statement attributed to Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav is being shared on social media. The text on the postcard claims: “Big statement from Akhilesh Yadav… If BSP joins the alliance, we would prefer to go with the BJP…. Akhilesh Yadav, President, Samajwadi Party.” A ticker on the postcard adds: “Special […]

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Digital Faultlines: Unmasking the Misinformation Machinery in the 2026 West Bengal Elections

Khushboo Singh

The 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections were not confined to traditional democratic processes such as political campaigning, policy debates, and voter outreach. Instead, they unfolded as a high-stakes digital information war in which misinformation played a central role in shaping public discourse. DFRAC’s investigation, based on content circulating on the social media platform X, reveals […]

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