Unverified border visuals circulating online: 'Trust only official sources'
New Delhi, Aug 6
Unverified visuals claiming to depict developments along the India-China border are being circulated on social media, leading to misinformation and confusion.
Citizens and media are advised to rely only on official updates issued by the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Armed Forces and to avoid sharing unauthenticated videos or claims circulating online. This advice has come from the Office of the Principal Director General of Press Information Bureau (PIB).
Citizens as well as the media have been advised to exercise caution over unverified visuals and misleading claims related to the India-China Line of Actual Control (LAC) that are being circulated on some social media platforms.
Some posts are sharing visuals purportedly showing the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) near the border. These visuals have not been verified and should not be treated as authentic, the officials say.
Social media platforms are being requested to remove such misleading content.
The advisory comes in the wake of recurring attempts to spread misinformation on border-related issues, officials say.
In an earlier instance, viral posts had falsely claimed that the Chinese Army had entered 60 kilometres inside Indian territory.
A PIB Fact Check had clarified then that the claim was false and that the accompanying videos were unrelated to the India-China border.
Both citizens and media are encouraged to rely only on official information issued by the Ministry of Defence and the Indian Armed Forces for updates on border developments.
Official statements, photographs and videos released through these channels remain the most reliable sources of information.
Everyone is urged to verify facts before sharing any content online, officials say.
Responsible use of social media helps prevent the spread of misinformation and ensures that authentic information reaches the public.
The earlier viral claim that the Chinese Army had entered 60 kilometres inside India was found to be fake.
The videos circulated in support of that claim were unrelated to the India-China border.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I appreciate the government's caution, but we also need timely official communication. When official sources stay silent, people naturally turn to social media. Better to have proactive transparency than reactive corrections.
Our soldiers are the real heroes. Let's not create panic and confusion while they protect our borders. Trust the army, trust our soldiers! 🙏
Serious issue. In the age of fake news, it's important to verify sources. Glad India is taking proactive measures to educate its citizens. More countries should do the same.
But honestly, why do some people actively spread such rumours? It's disheartening. We need digital literacy lessons in every village and town. Shame on those who manipulate public sentiment.
Good advisory but does PIB have proper verification infrastructure? The fact-check often comes after the damage is done. Let's have real-time monitoring and faster response time, please.
This happened during our elections too. People shared old videos to create chaos. Glad India is handling this seriously. We must all be responsible citizens.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.