Claim: A WhatsApp forward claiming to raise awareness among voters by explaining concepts such as 'challenge vote' and 'tender vote', is viral on several social media platforms. Fact: BOOM found that two out of three claims in the viral WhatsApp forward are false. We had previously fact-checked the same message in 2019 when it was being shared on WhatsApp with false claims. We had then reached out to V Citizens Action Network (VCAN), a civil society organisation partnered with the Election Commi

As ethnic tensions broke out on 3rd May, 2023, the state government of Manipur ordered a complete blanket ban on the Internet. But people found ways to get around it.

BOOM found that the photo has been created using generative-AI and is not real.

BOOM found that contrary to the viral claim, Uddhav Thackeray was being urged to speak for a longer time at the event.

A Lieutenant in the Fresno Police Department rubbished the online rumours of Goldy Brar being the victim of the recent shooting, in a statement to IANS.

BOOM found that the video shows violence that took place during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in April 2023.

In the longer version of the video Chowdhury was asking votes for the Congress candidate of Jangipur Mortaza Hossain Bakul in West Bengal.

BOOM found that the Congress party has not officially released any press release announcing its candidates for Amethi and Raebareli Lok Sabha constituencies.

Claim: A video of Home Minister Amit Shah is being shared on social media claiming that it shows him promising to end reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) communities if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is voted back to power. Fact: BOOM found that an old video has been edited and in the original video which dates back to 2023, Amit Shah is seen talking about ending Muslim reservation in Telangana if BJP is voted to power in the state.

Decode found out that many of these betting websites are not only still operating in India but are also openly advertising their platforms on social media using influencers and paid promotion.

Claim: A viral screenshot claims to show India Today's Mood of the Nation survey predicted 17 Lok Sabha seats for the Samajwadi Party. Fact: BOOM found that it's an edited screenshot and the original one actually shows the survey predicting seven seats for the Akhilesh Yadav led SP. Tools used: We checked the the original live stream on India Today's YouTube channel uploaded on March 20, 2024. Read the full fact-check here .

Claim: A quote purporting to show Jamyang Tsering Namgyal asked the people of Ladakh to forgive him for joining the Bharatiya Janata Party and supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi is viral online. Fact: The viral quote is fake and has been misattributed to the Member of Parliament. The fake quote is viral after Jamyang Namgyal expressed his discontent as he was dropped and Tashi Gyalson was named as the BJP candidate from Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency. Tools used: We found that the official X

Claim: A video showing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker from Chennai being thrashed is viral online as recent and is being connected to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Fact: BOOM found that the video dates back to July 2023 and shows the District Secretary of BJP's IT and Social Media Cell in Chennai being beaten up by members of his own party. Tools used: We watched the viral video closely and noticed that it carried the date '31/07/2023'. We ran a search for the incident using Tamil keyw

Claim: A video of Rahul Gandhi is viral online claiming that the Congress leader spoke of a census specifically for minorities. Fact: BOOM found that the viral video has been doctored to make the false claim. Rahul Gandhi in his speech stated that the Congress party would implement a Socio-Economic and Caste Census, following which backward classes, Dalits, Adivasis, economically backward general castes, and minorities would be able to ascertain their respective contribution in the country. Tool

Claim: A video of Congress leader and former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath is viral online claiming that he promised a mosque and the reinstatement of Article 370 to Muslims in a meeting. Fact: BOOM found that the video is a deepfake. The audio in the clip, claiming to be that of Kamal Nath, is an audio voice clone and not his own voice. Tools used: We found that the original video was uploaded on YouTube on November 14, 2018 when Kamal Nath met with Muslim voters. BOOM ran the vid

Claim: A video purportedly showing Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami distributing cash in exchange for votes is viral online as recent. Fact: BOOM found that the video dates back to 2022 and was taken during the Uttarakhand assembly elections when the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the Bharatiya Janata Party and Dhami of buying votes. Tools used: We looked at the viral video closely and found that the envelope with the money carried the name of Shiv Arora, who was said to be a BJP ca

Claim: Amit Malviya, Bharatiya Janata Party's IT cell head claimed that a video of party candidate Dinesh Lal Yadav alias Nirahua making remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath being childless, was a deepfake. In the video, Yadav the BJP candidate from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, claimed Modi and Adityanath have preferred to be childless to stop unemployment. It was posted by Indian Youth Congress President Srinivas BV on X and the same was rubbis

Claim: An old photo of the former Indian mens cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is being circulated online with a claim that it shows him urging people to vote for the Congress. Fact: BOOM found that the picture dates back to 2020, when Dhoni and his other team members celebrated Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reaching six million followers on erstwhile Twitter (now X). Tools used: BOOM performed a reverse image search on the photo that led to several news reports carrying the same photo. The

Claim: Several social media users claimed that Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mahua Moitra said 'sex' was the source of her energy. Fact: BOOM found that a careful hearing of the full video shows that Moitra spoke about how 'eggs' were the source of her energy, not sex. Tools used: BOOM noticed a watermark in the viral video that led us to the original video uploaded on YouTube. Also, we reached out to Mahua Moitra who shared a clearer version of the video without the background noise and music

Experts fear the term 'deepfake' will be weaponised to dismiss real media as fake and be used a premise to create overreaching laws that infringe on individualrights.

According to a recent Mozilla report, dating platforms such as Tinder, Hinge and Bumble could potentially be monetising user's personal data by selling it to advertisers and occasionally intruding user privacy.

BOOM found that the viral video was captured during a mock poll in Assam's Karimganj and was not shot during the actual voting process.

BOOM found that in the original video Amit Shah is promising to scrap Muslim reservation in Telangana during the 2023 Assembly election campaign.

BOOM found that the viral graphic is edited and the original graphic actually predicts seven Lok Sabha seats for the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh.

BOOM found that the incident is old and happened in Mysuru during the Karnataka assembly election in May, 2023.

SC had asked the poll panel to explain how the EVM-VVPAT work, how they are calibrated and the process involved.

Namgyal denied the claim, stating that he did not make any such comments on either the BJP or PM Modi.

BOOM found that the video has been cropped and taken out of context to make the false claim.

Clarifying his statement, Pitroda said, Who said 55% will be taken away? Who said something like this should be done in India? Why is BJP and media in panic?

BOOM found that the video shows an old incident from Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur and not Karnataka's Bengaluru as claimed.

The Congress manifesto suggests a need for policy assessment and data exploration rather than outlining specific wealth redistribution plans, say experts

The video is at least five years old and is present online since 2019.

As internet returned to Manipur, the Arambai Tenggol was quick to use social media to spread its influence, and radicalise young Meiteis.

BOOM found that in the original video, Rahul Gandhi talks about backward classes, Dalits, Adivasis, economically backward general castes, and not just minorities.

BOOM found that the audio in the viral clip is an AI generated audio and not that of the Congress leader.

Abhishek Singh, aka @randomsena is no pirate or law enforcement officer but rather a troll organising online mobs to target individuals who he deems have offended Hindu gods or Hindus and badgering police to arrest such individuals.

BOOM found that the video is from 2022 when members of the Aam Aadmi Party accused Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami of buying votes.

A full reading of Manmohan Singh's speech and the draft paper make it clear he was not referring to the Muslim community alone but also to the SC/STs, OBCs, women and children.

Fact-Checking Mel launched the North East Facts Network, to strengthen fact-checking efforts in the region.

BOOM found that the video dates back to December 2022 and is not related to the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Gandhi was referring to a programme where unemployed graduates and diploma holders would get the opportunity to work as apprentices and get paid.

BOOM found that the video dates back to December 2022 and election officials at the time had clarified that it shows regular procedure laid down by the EC.

BOOM found that the photograph shows Dhoni celebrating Chennai Super Kings reaching six million followers on erstwhile Twitter (now X) in 2020.

BOOM found that the visuals are of Allu Arjun attending the India Day Parade in New York as the Grand Marshal in 2022.

BOOM found that while tendered votes are allowed, it's compulsory for a person's name to be listed in the voters' list for them to cast their vote.

BOOM found that the original video shows Asaduddin Owaisi addressing the Uttar Pradesh police and criticising them for alleged cases of police atrocities.

BOOM found that the incident in the viral video is from January 2018.

BOOM found that the incident in the viral video is from December 2023.

BOOM reached out to Mahua Moitra who refuted the claim and clarified that she said 'eggs' in the viral video, not sex.

BOOM found that the indecent gesture has been digitally added to the original photograph showing Modi waving at a crowd.