Hajj is the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. To ensure perfect worship during hajj, government bodies around the world organise pre-departure classes for those attending. A post alleged a video of people circling a structure resembling the holy Kaaba stone — the most sacred site in Islam — was proof that followers […]
In the wake of a landslide in Kenya’s Kimende Escarpment, about 66 kilometres from the capital of Nairobi, online posts and publications shared an image of a rescue operation and claimed it showed the disaster. But the image is from Uganda and shows a mudslide that happened more than a decade ago. On May 15, […]
Labour unions in Nigeria are pressuring authorities to raise minimum wages as inflation and economic turmoil put pressure on the cost of living. Recent social media posts claimed that the country’s commercial capital Lagos state upped its minimum wage for government workers. But the claim is misleading; the state only instituted a temporary extra “wage” […]
Amid uncertainties surrounding South Sudan’s first-ever general elections slated for December 2024 and a surge in intercommunal conflict that has left hundreds of civilians dead, posts claiming to show Ugandan troops arriving in the capital of Juba have been shared dozens of times on Facebook. The claim is misleading; the images are old and show […]
Apple has sold tens of millions of its AirPods since 2016, but social media posts claim the wireless earbuds emit harmful electromagnetic radiation. This is misleading; no evidence shows ill effects from the devices and emissions are below standards set by US regulators and international guidelines. “Are you still wearing AirPods? These devices work by […]
A news report explaining how Indonesia would hold a second round of voting if presidential candidates in the February 2024 poll are unable to secure an outright majority has been viewed millions of times in social media posts that misleadingly claim a runoff vote is going ahead. It was shared days after the election that […]
An old video of people joyously singing and dancing has been shared in social media posts that misleadingly claim it shows an Israeli music festival at a West Bank mosque where Palestinians were barred from worshipping. The video was shared in November 2023 — a month into the war between Israel and Palestinian militant organisation […]
The Israel-Hamas war has led to a surge in anti-Semitic comments on social media. A recent Facebook post suggested a video showed a Pakistani imam making an anti-Semitic comment before the platform beneath him collapsed in “divine timing”. But the claim is misleading; the video shows an overcrowded stage caving in at a rally held […]