The Whatsapp dilemma

Many of us, including the general public, rely on WhatsApp groups to maintain connections with friends and family overseas or participate in local activities. While these groups serve as a vital link, they can also be a breeding ground for misinformation. For example, I have a relative who has diabetes. She recently came across a post on WhatsApp asserting that honey can cure diabetes. The post, cleverly crafted with fake doctor names and a claim of being a Harvard study, aimed to sound credible, leading to potential health risks.

My aunt, trusting the false post, stopped taking her medication and took honey instead, which resulted in an intense sugar spike that caused a significant issue. This incident highlights how false information can spread on WhatsApp, leading to substantial problems.

Kinza Chaudhry, a registered dietitian, highlights this issue, stating, “These generalized chain messages are spreading a lot of misinformation. I don’t know if this data is ever being tracked and if people are going to the hospital because they followed faulty information” (Chaudhry). This shows the potential dangers of misinformation that can cause real-world problems.

To tackle these issues, we need to

fact-check posts. Now, there are a lot of resources for checking the accuracy of posts, like factcheck.org, and there should be initiatives to educate the public about media literacy.

Chaudhry, Kinza. “How Misinformation on WhatsApp Can Be Dangerous.” PBS NewsHour, PBS, 9 June 2024, www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-misinformation-on-whatsapp-can-be-dangerous. Accessed 20 June 2024.