Israel-Hamas war: How to combat fake news and misinformation during war

A photo on ‘X’, formerly Twitter, by one verified account ‘Gyan Jara Hatke’ reads: “Israeli men’s across the globe are flying back home to join to the Army (sic)”.

Israeli men’s across the globe are flying back home to join to the Army. 🇮🇱💪 pic.twitter.com/eFc82ylWBJ

— Gyan Jara Hatke (@gyanjarahatke) October 11, 2023

On a close look, we found out that the image is AI-generated.

The image was found to be AI-generated.

Not just images, even fake videos claiming to be from Israel and Gaza are being widely shared online.

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The two video clips below falsely claim Palestinians shot down Israeli helicopters in Gaza. The videos are from ‘Arma 3’, an open world tactical shooter simulation video game developed and published by Bohemia Interactive.

Such scenes have never been seen before
Palestinian freedom fighters have shot down 4 Israeli war helicopters in Gaza
Has surprised the world with his versatility and preparation۔#israel #hamas #Palestine #اسرائیل #حماس #فلسطين #طوفان_الأقصى pic.twitter.com/VmDOgY4Is9

— Aalia_khan💞 (@aalia_dr) October 8, 2023

Palestinian freedom fighters shot down 4 Israeli war helicopters in Gaza.#Palestine #Israel #Hamas #Gaza #War #AlMayadeen #AlAqsa #طوفان_الأقصى #الأهلي_الاتحاد#FreePalestine.#GazaUnderAttack #hamasattack #Gaza #FreePalastine #Israel #IsraelPalestineWar #Palestine pic.twitter.com/0Zo97Psr6Y

— shanu_24 (@Shanu241) October 9, 2023

Another video which was behind the scenes footage of a short film Empty Place was shared with claims that Israel was attempting to create fake footage of deaths.

VIDEO SHOWING ISRAEL ATTEMPTING TO CREATE FAKE FOOTAGE OF DEATHS pic.twitter.com/UBo7QN0wli

— Sulaiman Ahmed (@ShaykhSulaiman) October 9, 2023

Talking about the challenges of combating fake news during wartime, Israeli fact checker Uria Bar-Meir says it is important to “rely on official government publications and reliable media sources.”

“The main challenge during wartime is that many social media posts talk about matters which are classified, it is tough for fact-checkers to confirm this with public sources… Another challenge is that the fake news surrounds us and it is hard to collect everything, especially since a military conflict attracts international attention and fakes come from all over the world. And of course, in the current crisis many fake news contain photos and videos which are hard to watch, trauma-induced, making the whole experience of fact-checking worse. I recommend everyone to rely on official government publications and reliable media sources, and not on terror organisations or posts on social media or even text applications,” Bar-Meir tells indianexpress.com.

Here are a few tips on things you can do before sharing any conflict-related information on social media:

1. Verify information: Avoid sharing unverified or sensational claims.

2. Check the source: Ensure that the information you are sharing is accurate and from reliable sources. Check if they are a reputable news outlet or a reliable eyewitness.

3. Consider the context: Always consider the context in which the videos and images are being shared.

4. Fact-checking: Check websites of fact-checking organisations, see if they have debunked the viral claims.

5. Be skeptical, think before you share: In wartime, there is a lot of misinformation and propaganda circulating online. It is important to be critical of the information you see before you share it. Consider the potential consequences of sharing misinformation.

If you are unsure about whether or not to share a post, it is always best to err on the side of caution. It is better to be safe than sorry and not share posts.