Is What You're Seeing Online Real? Find Out Here

May 17, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

In partnership with

Hello,

The internet is awesome – full of cool stuff, entertaining videos, and ways to connect with friends. But sometimes, things online aren't quite what they seem. Don't worry, though! With a few simple skills, you can become a master at spotting ‘fake news’ and staying safe online. Read on!

LEARN WITH BOOM

Here is BOOM's quick guide to be smart and safe!

Why This Matters 🤔

Fake news and scams can:

  • Mess with your head: Make you believe lies.

  • Cause drama: Spread rumours and misunderstandings.

  • Put you at risk: Trick you into sharing personal info or clicking bad links.

Spotting Fake News: BOOM’s Toolkit! 🕵️‍♀️

  • Pause and Think: Is it unbelievable? It probably is!

  • Check the Source: Who posted it? Is it a trusted website? Look for an "About Us" page and be wary of weird website names.

  • Find Evidence: Are there any links to reliable sources? Be skeptical if it's just an opinion.

  • Cross-Check: Do other trusted news sites report the same thing? One odd website might be wrong.

  • Watch for Red Flags! 🚩

    • Bad grammar and spelling.

    • Fake or changed photos/videos.

    • Requests for your passwords or bank info.

    • Consider your own biases – be open to different views.

Cool Fact-Checking Tools! 🛠️ (Free!)

  • Google Lens/Reverse Image Search: Right-click an image to see where else it appears online. Helps spot fakes or wrong context.

  • InVID & WeVerify (Google Chrome plugin): Helps check videos by letting you do reverse image searches on video frames.

  • AI or Not: Upload an image to see if it might be AI-generated.

You've Got This! 💪

THE LIE COUNT

BOOM Report: Pahalgam Attack Triggers Surge in Disinformation In April

  • The terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025 was the most fact-checked incident in April, accounting for 23 per cent of the all fact-checks BOOM published in April. 

  • In the two weeks following the attack, social media was swamped with mis/disinformation directed at both India and Pakistan. 

  • A surge of old and out-of-context videos and images were misrepresented as recent footage of the attack, aimed to stoke emotions and polarise public sentiments. 

  • In some cases, misleading claims specifically targeted Kashmiri muslims and the larger Muslim community in the country, fueling communal tensions and amplifying Islamophobic rhetoric.

EXPLAINED

Indo-Pak Conflict: Loud Cyberattack Claims But Overstated Effects, Finds CloudSEK

A recent report by cybersecurity firm CloudSEK found that the claims of Pakistan-linked hacktivist groups leading a sophisticated campaign of cyberattacks against India were mostly misleading and exaggerated. 

However, CloudSEK’s investigation showed that most of these so-called breaches caused minimal or no disruption. Many targeted websites experienced only brief downtimes, lasting a few minutes at most. 

In some high-profile cases—such as claimed attacks on the Prime Minister’s Office, the Election Commission of India, and the National Informatics Centre—there was little evidence of any meaningful compromise. 

Read Hera Rizwan’s explainer to find out the claims debunked in this report.

'FAKE NEWS’ YOU ALMOST FELL FOR

🔍 The Pakistan government used clipped videos of Indian press briefings and news shows on Operation Sindoor, to claim that only military bases were targetted in the military conflict, between the two countries, with no strikes on civilian areas. Read 🔗 Swasti Chatterjee’s ↗️ fact-check.

🔍 Does this video show Indian Air Force pilot Shivangi Singh being taken as a prisoner by Pakistan? Find out in 🔗 Tausif Akbar’s ↗️ fact-check.

🔍 A viral notice claims Türkiye's Ministry of Culture and Tourism urged Indian tourists not to cancel or postpone their travel plans to Türkiye. 🔗 Anmol Alphonso ↗️ found out it's a fake notice.

MESSAGE FROM HUBSPOT

Use AI as Your Personal Assistant’

Ready to save precious time and let AI do the heavy lifting?

Save time and simplify your unique workflow with HubSpot’s highly anticipated AI Playbook—your guide to smarter processes and effortless productivity.

🅱️ RECOMMENDS

This week's recommendation is: A path forward on online misinformation mitigation based on current user behavior

Was this forwarded to you?

Verified By Boom is written by Divya Chandra, edited by Adrija Bose and designed by H Shiva Roy Chowdhury.

If you have suggestions about this newsletter or want us to conduct workshops on specific topics, drop us a line at 👉 [email protected] and we will get back to you in a jiffy. Thanks for reading. See you next week.👋

—🖤 Liked what you read? Give us a shoutout! 📢

—Become A BOOM Member. Support Us!

—Stop.Verify.Share - Use Our Tipline: 7700906588