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Yesterday a screengrab did the rounds attributing a statement to the Dep. Min. of Transport.
This is not only fake news...but old fake news.
The website that originally posted the article, run by a former PWC employee, was shutdown almost two years ago.
This is not only fake news...but old fake news.
The website that originally posted the article, run by a former PWC employee, was shutdown almost two years ago.
Checking a source is a very basic excercise.
A search for the News Live SA Facebook page provides no hits, and the Bitly link has expired.
Searching for the text itself however reveals that this was a trending topic in July 2018, snagged here by a third party website.
A search for the News Live SA Facebook page provides no hits, and the Bitly link has expired.
Searching for the text itself however reveals that this was a trending topic in July 2018, snagged here by a third party website.
Trendolizer looks like a social media trend aggregator, and in this case it grabbed the same headline in a trending story that did the rounds in July 2018...two years ago.
The site of origin? http://NewsupdatesSA.site . Still doesn't sound legit, does it?
The site of origin? http://NewsupdatesSA.site . Still doesn't sound legit, does it?
The site was shutdown in October/November 2018 after my investigation for @News24 revealed that the owner of the site is a former PWC employee from Limpopo.
Simply Googling http://NewsupdatesSA.site flags it as a fake news site on multiple forums. https://exposed.news24.com/newsupdatessa-site/
Simply Googling http://NewsupdatesSA.site flags it as a fake news site on multiple forums. https://exposed.news24.com/newsupdatessa-site/
The site also attributed spurious claims to:
* Andile Mngxitama
* Senzeni Zokwana
* Aaron Motsoaledi
all of which appealed to the biases of a certain demographic on social media. The "incompetent black official" trope was used widely on this site.
* Andile Mngxitama
* Senzeni Zokwana
* Aaron Motsoaledi
all of which appealed to the biases of a certain demographic on social media. The "incompetent black official" trope was used widely on this site.
Last year, @AfricaCheck had to debunk an old post from the same site doing the rounds, claiming that SAPS stations close at 6pm due to crime.
The post that sparked this was made on an Afrikaans "news" Facebook page. https://africacheck.org/fbcheck/south-african-police-stations-to-close-at-6pm-to-avoid-criminals-no-fake-quote-from-old-fake-news-site/
The post that sparked this was made on an Afrikaans "news" Facebook page. https://africacheck.org/fbcheck/south-african-police-stations-to-close-at-6pm-to-avoid-criminals-no-fake-quote-from-old-fake-news-site/
Screenshot shared from the closed-down website also had to be debunked by @AFP, this time for claiming Kehla Sithole blamed white people for bringing temptation to South Africa.
This was shared on a "Stop Farm Murders/Stop Plaas Moorde" Facebook page. https://factcheck.afp.com/racist-claim-falsely-attributed-south-africas-national-police-commissioner-reappears-online
This was shared on a "Stop Farm Murders/Stop Plaas Moorde" Facebook page. https://factcheck.afp.com/racist-claim-falsely-attributed-south-africas-national-police-commissioner-reappears-online
Links to the site was shared aggressively by a user sharing links to SouthAfricaToday (a right-wing site operated from Thailand), Infowars, Breitbart etc.
There was a clear play by http://Newsupdatessa.site for the ear of the right wing, which obviously worked.
There was a clear play by http://Newsupdatessa.site for the ear of the right wing, which obviously worked.
So no - this isn't true. Or even recent.
Disinformation merchants know people are inclined to share posts that aligned with their personal biases, and exploit that fact.
Here, months after the site went down, people are still sharing screenshots since it affirms their biases.
Disinformation merchants know people are inclined to share posts that aligned with their personal biases, and exploit that fact.
Here, months after the site went down, people are still sharing screenshots since it affirms their biases.
This is why its important to be critical of your sources.
Why are they only sharing a screenshot?
Where is the link?
Does the site/page name look legit?
Can I identify an author I can hold to account?
Does the site provide contact details and an address?
Why are they only sharing a screenshot?
Where is the link?
Does the site/page name look legit?
Can I identify an author I can hold to account?
Does the site provide contact details and an address?
