With Lok Sabha Elections 2019 coming closer, WhatsApp the messaging app has unveiled the 'Checkpoint Tipline'. Here users will be able to check information authenticity of the news being spread on the messaging platform. WhatsApp has taken this initiative to crack down fake news ahead of general elections that are set to take place in India. This service that helps keep track of information authenticity has been launched by PROTO, which is an India-based media skilling startup. Here the tipline will allow in creating a database to study misinformation during the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 for Checkpoint and is a research project commissioned that is technically assisted by WhatsApp.
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Fake news challenge
- People in India will be able to submit misinformation or rumours to the Checkpoint Tipline on WhatsApp at +91-9643-000-888.
- The initiative has been launched to tackle fake news before elections, which is scheduled to take place between 11th April to 19th May.
- Once the user shares a suspicious message with the tipline, PROTO's verification centre will respond and inform the user if the claim made in a message is verified or not.
- The response will also imply if the information spread on WhatsApp is classified as true, false, misleading, disputed or a scope.
- It will also review content shared in the form of video links, pictures and even text.
- It will cover English as well as four regional languages that include Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali.
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