Viral hoaxes about local politicians, false information about medicine and rumors of child kidnapping have always been tough stories for journalists to cover in Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populated state.
But some months ago, after witnessing several cases of violence due to such rumors, Meera Devi, a local reporter from a community media outlet called Khabar Lahariya, decided to bring about a change in the heart of India’s Hindi-speaking belt.
Devi lives in one of India’s poorest villages in Uttar Pradesh, but managed to complete her master’s degree in political science. She was one of the first female degree holders from her village.
After 12 years in journalism, Devi was keen to learn more and improve her watchdog reporting. So she started to fact-check and verify pieces of content for her audience.
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Source: There is a growing tribe of truth warriors fighting false news in India