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‘What’s Crap on WhatsApp?’ has debunked 25 hoaxes in 6 episodes. What is the challenge now? | Poynter

Misinformation in WhatsApp seems like a black hole, especially in Africa, where health issues make falsehoods even scarier.

Since June 2019, when the International Fact-Checking Network awarded a $50,000 grant to Africa Check to develop “What’s Crap on WhatsApp?,” a voice note show specially designed to be shared on the private message app, about 1,600 people have subscribed to the “appcast,” which totals six episodes. In total, they have heard 25 falsehoods being debunked, 10 of them related to health issues.

The 5- minute long voice note show is available on Africa Check’s website, via Google podcast, Spotify and Apple podcast.

In July, Africa Check made it clear that a specific popular brand of juices sold in South Africa was not poisoned. In September, the group emphasized that children were not being tricked into drinking Coke mixed with cough medicine. And in November, the team explained that apricot seeds absolutely cannot kill cancer cells.

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Source: ‘What’s Crap on WhatsApp?’ has debunked 25 hoaxes in 6 episodes. What is the challenge now?