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India asks WhatsApp to curb fake news following spate of lynchings

The killings are linked to "irresponsible and explosive messages" on the platform, according to the ministry of electronics.

By Lucia Binding, news reporter

Wednesday 4 July 2018 12:53, UK

Indian village leaders speak to the relatives of men killed in a lynching incident in Dhule district on 1 July
Image: Indian village leaders speak to the relatives of men killed in a lynching in Dhule district
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India's government has asked WhatsApp to take urgent steps to prevent the spread of rumours following a series of deadly mob attacks.

At least 20 people have been killed in mostly rural villages across India in lynchings instigated by false information distributed on WhatsApp.

The victims were innocent people accused of belonging to gangs trying to abduct children.

India's ministry of electronics and IT (MEITY) said WhatsApp "cannot evade accountability and responsibility" after the killings were linked to "irresponsible and explosive messages" circulating on its platform.

"Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of the (sic) WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken," the ministry said in a statement.

Satish Bhaykre, 21, who was beaten by a mob
Image: Satish Bhaykre, 21, who was beaten by a mob

Abuse of services such as WhatsApp "for repeated circulation of such provocative content" was a matter of deep concern, the ministry added.

Last week, a woman was killed and dozens hurt in the mob attacks after a false rumour was spread on WhatsApp that child abductors were at large.

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Around 100 people attacked the victim and three other women in Ahmedabad, a city in the state of Gujarat.

Police spokesman JA Rathwa said: "Half a dozen people surrounded the women as they were about to board an autorickshaw and started questioning them.

"Soon the crowd swelled and pulled Shantadevi Nath and her companions out of the rickshaw and started thrashing them."

Women whose relatives were murdered in a lynching incident are led away from the crime scene area by villagers in Dhule district
Image: Women whose relatives were murdered in a lynching are led away from the crime scene by villagers in Dhule district

The killings of innocent people have also occurred in states like Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura and West Bengal.

At least 16 mob lynchings have been reported since May.

WhatsApp has begun to take evasive action, announcing that it has commissioned a set of global awards for research studying the spread of misinformation.

"Through this new project, we look forward to working with leading academic experts in India to learn more about how online platforms are used to spread misinformation," it said in a statement.

"This local research will help us build upon recent changes we have made within WhatsApp and support broad education to help people spot false news and hoaxes."

WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app in India with over 200 million active users.