We have often seen mainstream media outlets and people associated with the mainstream media blame “trolls” on social media for spreading wrong information. Although media itself has gotten far too many things wrong, sometimes some of the information circulated on social media also is not accurate.
For example we had just posted how an “investigative news portal” called Cobrapost, picked up a random video from social media and publicised it as if it was a recent happening. The video showed the Indian army killing a Pakistani terrorist in 2011, but Cobrapost presented that as a recent video, and did not mention that the man killed was in fact a terrorist.
Just today Rana Ayyub, who is commonly seen on mainstream media debates used her twitter account to spread gross untruths. Last year Rana Ayyub was involved in falsely naming RSS chief in a nun rape case, whereas the actual culprits were Bangladeshis. Ayyub posted this tweet:
Dear Indian army, am guessing this young kid was quite a threat to the sovereignty of India to be blinded for life pic.twitter.com/jLkDXgCPmE
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) July 17, 2016
Even as her tweet was being shared among her followers and beyond, some others, including some from her own fraternity, were busy correcting her:
Might want to get the entity right in such a situation. Army doesn’t use pellets & not involved in crowd control. https://t.co/rkPCOw5yKM
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 17, 2016
Not that it isn’t a serious issue, but this picture you’ve tweeted is from May 2015: https://t.co/NZWezuTVid https://t.co/rkPCOw5yKM
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 17, 2016
Yes it’s happening now, Rana. But you aren’t clarifying on a glaring error by you: blaming the Army for pellet use. https://t.co/O0fkVbI5mi
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 17, 2016
Rana: Army uses pellet guns.
Me: Nope.
Rana: Pellet guns used.
Me: Yes, but not by Army.
Rana: Abbe nationalist editor, pellets maim & kill.— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) July 17, 2016
Not fair to address it to Army which doesn’t dealt with crowds, nor has pellet guns. Only State/Central police do https://t.co/4bhvBrBpYj
— Shekhar Gupta (@ShekharGupta) July 17, 2016
Ma’am @RanaAyyub
A)Army dsnt use Pellet guns
B)Photo is frm 2015You were introduced as a journalist in our debate? pic.twitter.com/5zSQSsHHza
— Vande Mataram (@UnSubtleDesi) July 17, 2016
@UnSubtleDesi @RanaAyyub How about the same pic used by Pak Today for propaganda , still coincidence? pic.twitter.com/gOV7hrOEnU
— Sriram (@srirambjp) July 17, 2016
Yes, on both the counts, Rana Ayyub was wrong. Not only does the army not use pellet guns, even the photo used by this “investigative journalist” was from 2015.
Even after being called out and criticised by many including her media colleagues, Rana Ayyub did not yield. The tweet remains as it is, there is no apology. Will the Information and Broadcasting ministry take action? Will the Army take note of this defamatory tweet? Will any action be taken for a tweet which tried to spread discontent towards the Indian army by using inaccurate information?
