Fact-Check Findings: Misinformation Surge in March

Bangladeshi fact-checking organization Rumor Scanner has identified 298 instances of misinformation spreading online in March. In the previous months, January and February, 271 and 268 misinformation cases were detected, respectively.

On Wednesday, April 2, Rumor Scanner released this information through a press statement.

The organization reported that 23 instances of misinformation were linked to the Chief of Army Staff, General Waqar-Uz-Zaman.

Based on fact-check reports published on the Rumor Scanner website, the highest number of misinformation cases (105) were political in nature, constituting 35% of the total. Additionally, 103 cases were related to national issues, 12 to international affairs, 36 to religious matters, three to entertainment and literature, three to education, 12 to fraud, and 16 to sports.

Among these cases, video-based misinformation was the most prevalent, with 143 cases identified. Furthermore, 110 cases were related to false information, while 45 were image-based. Among the verified misinformation cases, 168 were categorized as false, 97 as misleading, and 31 as distorted.

Facebook Tops as Misinformation Platform

In March, Facebook was identified as the primary platform for spreading misinformation, with 273 cases. Other platforms included X (formerly Twitter) with 62 cases, TikTok with seven, YouTube with 44, Instagram with 26, and Threads with at least five instances. Mainstream media was not exempt, as Rumor Scanner found 16 instances where Bangladeshi news outlets disseminated false information.

Since last year, Indian media and social media accounts operated from India have increasingly spread misinformation about Bangladesh. This trend continued in March, with four instances of misinformation reported in Indian media and three cases where Indian social media accounts or pages shared false information about Bangladesh.

Rise in Communal Misinformation

Communal misinformation has been a topic of concern in recent months. In March, Rumor Scanner identified 26 such cases, with half of them originating from Indian social media accounts and pages.

According to the Rumor Scanner team, 15 cases of misinformation targeted the current interim government. The organization categorized these cases into two groups: misinformation supporting the government (positive) and misinformation opposing the government (negative). All the identified misinformation cases had a negative impact on the government.

Misinformation Targeting Public Figures

In March, 22 misinformation cases were spread about Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus, with 77% being negative and 23% favoring him.

Among government advisors, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan was targeted with two negative misinformation cases, Syeda Rizwana Hasan with one, Dr. Asif Nazrul with four, Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed with two, Md. Tauhid Hossain with one, and Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam with one, all of which were negative.

Political Parties Affected

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami party was the most targeted political group, with seven misinformation cases, 86% of which were negative. The party’s Amir, Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, was targeted with two negative misinformation cases, while its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, was subject to six negative misinformation cases.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was mentioned in four misinformation cases, 75% of which were negative. Its acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, was involved in one positive misinformation case, while Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was targeted with two positive misinformation cases. BNP’s student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, was linked to four negative misinformation cases.

The Bangladesh Awami League was associated with six misinformation cases, with 83% being in its favor. The party’s student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, was linked to one positive misinformation case. Party President Sheikh Hasina was associated with 33 misinformation cases, with 85% being favorable.

New Political Movements Also Targeted

The recently formed National Citizens’ Party, established by student leaders of the July uprising, was targeted with two misinformation cases, both negative. The party’s convener, Nahid Islam, was linked to four negative misinformation cases. Other leaders, including Hasnat Abdullah (six cases), Sarjis Alam (three cases), Tasnim Jara (four cases), Humayra Noor (one case), and Abdul Hannan Masud (one case), were also targeted with negative misinformation.

Misinformation Affecting State Security Forces

State security forces were not spared from misinformation. The Bangladesh Army was the subject of 23 misinformation cases, including seven specifically targeting Chief of Army Staff General Waqar-Uz-Zaman. Additionally, three misinformation cases were related to the Bangladesh Police, while one case each involved the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB).

The Discrimination Resistance Student Movement, which played a prominent role in protests, was targeted with three misinformation cases in February. Spokesperson Umama Fatema was also linked to one misinformation case.

Fake Death Reports and AI-Generated Content

Rumor Scanner observed that misinformation in March involved 17 fake death reports. Additionally, nine instances of AI-generated fake content and five deepfake videos were detected.

Reports on rape cases, related images, and videos saw a surge in online circulation last month. The Human Rights Culture Foundation (MSF) stated in its March human rights report that rape incidents in the country more than doubled compared to February. This rise in crime-related concerns created opportunities for misinformation, leading Rumor Scanner to detect 27 misinformation cases related to rape. A single incident in Magura, involving the rape of an eight-year-old child, resulted in eight misinformation cases.

During March, as the Muslim community in Bangladesh observed Ramadan and Eid, 16 and six misinformation cases, respectively, were identified in relation to these religious occasions.

Media Manipulation and Fake News Reports

A total of 45 misinformation cases involved media outlets, where fake news was spread using logos, headlines, and manipulated photo cards. Of these, 38 cases involved both domestic and foreign media. Among mainstream Bangladeshi media, Jamuna TV’s name was misused the most, appearing in 10 instances, followed by Janakantha (five times) and Amar Desh (four times).