Summary
Urban Indians are worried about online fake news, but still heavily consume news through WhatsApp and Facebook. According to a study by the Reuters Institute India, instant messaging services are used as source of news far more in India than any other country. The level of engagement with news on social media platforms is high, with headlines and photos being the biggest factors on whether or not Indians click on a report on social platforms.
Highlights:
- A survey commissioned by the Reuters Institute India and conducted by the market research firm YouGov.in January shows that urban Indians heavily consume news through the social media platforms of Whatsapp and Facebook.
- Though online consumption of news is high, so are the concerns regarding it with 6 out of 10 Indians worried about the consumption of fake news. WhatsApp has been a hotbed of misinformation in light of India having witnessed over 30 murders and lynchings due to the spread of misinformation via WhatsApp.