The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) launched an official fact-check account on Instagram this week to combat misinformation, following a viral social media post falsely attributing remarks on foreign funding of protests to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. The new @meafactcheck account aims to publish verified fact checks to counter fake news, the ministry confirmed on medianama.com.
The launch came after a misleading post circulated on July 26, which claimed Jaiswal had confirmed no foreign funding for the Cockroach Janata Party-led protests. The MEA’s Fact Check handle on X flagged the post as misleading and clarified that it misrepresented the spokesperson’s statement. Jaiswal had addressed the issue during a biweekly media briefing, denying allegations of foreign funding and emphasizing ongoing investigations.
This move by the MEA expands its fact-checking efforts beyond X to Instagram, reflecting growing concerns over misinformation on social media platforms. The ministry’s proactive approach follows increased scrutiny of false claims that can influence public opinion and political discourse. Similar government fact-check initiatives have gained prominence as misinformation spreads rapidly online, underscoring the need for official verification channels.
The MEA’s Instagram fact-check account was launched this week, with the initial focus on debunking false claims related to foreign funding of protests. The ministry’s statement and video from Jaiswal’s briefing were shared on July 26, marking the start of this expanded fact-checking effort, according to medianama.com.