Rajasthan polls: WhatsApp and DEF conduct training with community leaders in Jaipur

NEW DELHI: In the run-up to the Rajasthan elections, WhatsApp on Monday said the platform and Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) held a training for community leaders in Jaipur to address the challenge of misinformation.
In August, WhatsApp and the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) initiated a series of educational workshops in 10 states as part of an effort to educate users how to use the messaging platform responsibly and further, to curb the epidemic of misinformation in India following the violence that occurred earlier this year.

Focusing on key election states and those plagued with instances of provoked-violence as a result of misinformation earlier this year, WhatsApp said it, along with DEF has been focused on conducting training in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan, followed by Telangana this year. The teams will also cover key states such as, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tripura and Jharkhand by March 2019.

“WhatsApp is proud to have played a part in helping millions of people in Rajasthan to freely connect with their loved ones anywhere in the world. These trainings are a key part of our strategy to help people stay safe and limit the spread of harmful rumours this election season,” said Ben Supple, Public Policy Manager, WhatsApp.

The fourth education workshop held in Jaipur was chaired by Ravi Guria, deputy programme director, media and communication. WhatsApp said divided into three parts, the three hour, training session encouraged WhatsApp users to see themselves as ‘agents of change’ by addressing socio-behavioral change and empowered them to spot false news. It enabled them to differentiate between rumours and opinions; shared subsequent steps to tackle instances of false news and tips to stay safe on WhatsApp, the company said. The curriculum also delved into how users can contact fact-checking organizations like Altnews and Boom Live to accurately verify information when they are in doubt.

Addressing over 120 attendees, the training was provided for local government administrations, law enforcement authorities, college students, NGOs and other community leaders, who are dedicated to the technological empowerment of their society, especially villages and semi-urban centers, WhatsApp added.

Osama Manzar, founder-director of DEF said: “While the problem of misinformation is not restricted to rural areas alone, it is the rural population that majorly lacks access to alternative news sources for sake of verification. We see education as the only solution to this problem, and we know that when we teach them some basic verification techniques, they’re going to tell at least two other people about it, creating a ripple effect and potentially fighting misinformation.

Vineet Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Crime, Jaipur said: “Social media has become a tool to spread rumours and propaganda. If the user doesn't apply common sense and due probity while going through social media content, it may adversely affect his/her perception of reality. And this has consequences for their personal/professional life and that of the people living around them. Therefore, it is high time that a sense of probity and due diligence is brought in while consuming social media. However, it can be achieved in its true sense only when it is part of the school education process and home environment. But such workshops on fake news and misinformation may offer insights into the need of the subject itself.”

Additionally, WhatsApp and DEF will organize workshops as a part of their Community Information Resource Centre (CIRC), where they will conduct training sessions targeted at grassroots communities in rural areas across 5 states in India, WhatsApp said.