#DurbanStorm: Fake news and hoaxes that made the rounds

With all the different media publications out there, one of the things that many have to be concerned about is the truth in the news that we put out there. Fake news is something that we see far too often in the media.

According to Eye Witness News, "Much of what arrives on our digital doorstep these days is best described as “fake news”: hoax stories, propaganda, and other forms of misinformation". The #DurbanStorm on Tuesday was no different as many of our social media feeds and WhatsApp groups  were 'flooded' with images and warnings. Figuring out what was true or fake was like searching for a needle in a haystack.

Read: KZN bird flu outbreak fake news

Living in this viral day and age has its pros and cons. Having the ability to access what's happening in the world in an instant is an incredible privilege, but when people use these platforms for their personal agenda, well, that's a different story. Sending people into a panic does not sit well with me. When people are misinformed, they will obviously make the wrong choices and this eventually results in more chaos than is necessary. 

I remember during the time of the tragic Knysna fires, images of a golf club engulfed in flames were being circulated only to later find out that these were pictures from years ago. Police had to issue a statement pleading with the public to please stop spreading these fake accounts of news. 

In the case of this week's #DurbanStorm, images of the N2 bridge collapsing and a taxi lodged into a sinkhole were doing the rounds - leaving people anxious, sad, and panic-stricken. These images were also found to be old and some not even from South Africa, let alone Durban.

One of the voice notes that was shared on whatsapp from a man stating he was "from the weather," and that people should "pick their kids up from school, get off the roads and battle down the hatches as we're in for a storm lasting 24 hours." Take a listen

It's also like fake news that circulates about celebrities dying. Why spread information that isn't true? I just don't get it! I remember that a few months ago popular South African actor Trevor Gumbi was 'killed' by many on the internet who spread news of his death. Another case of fake news.

So instead of us just sharing something without fact-checking it first. We need to stop and think if something is real or fake. According to Huffington Post, these are some of the ways you can tell if a site is not credible:

• The URL - If the URL seems a bit strange, it's probably not real. East Coast Radio's URL is ecr.co.za. So if you come across a story with ecr1.co.za, it's not legitimately from us.
• Sources - Credible sites have sources which you can research up on. Most of these fake news sites have anonymous contributors or sources which makes it more difficult to see if it's real or not.
• Banner ads - A credible site will have sponsored ads from credible brands whereas a fake site will have pornographic ads which is a cause for concern.

I just don't know how people find the time to do such things and why would you want to circulate such rubbish on social media? My advice - be cautious about what you post on social media. If there's one thing you can take away from all this - ALWAYS think before you SHARE.