The recent debate and problems related to fake news in social media have taken a new toll as WhatsApp has decided to seek external researchers’ help to check and curb fake news circulation. Recently WhatsApp and its parent company Facebook is undergoing a tough time with many countries regarding this.

WhatsApp is offering researchers up to USD 50,000 in grants to study fake news on the platform and also find ways to detect problematic content. But the company is keen on not providing any data to the researchers and the study will be purely the individual’s responsibility. WhatsApp has invited proposals from any social science or the related discipline that foster insights into the impact of technology on the society. WhatsApp also reveals that the individual interested in research or planning to expand their research should have relevant experience and exposure to online research.

Due to the spread of misinformation many mob attacks happened in India over the past months and Government of India has asked The U.S. based company to do the needful to control such spreading of fake news. The Indian government told the company that they cannot evade the responsibility to control this. WhatsApp has also been asked to immediately contain the spread of such messages. In response to this WhatsApp replied that fake news, misinformation, and hoaxes can be checked by the government The society, technology companies and the government will have to join hands in controlling the problems related to social media.