Ukrainian refugees are portrayed in some media and social media channels as ungrateful, dangerous and parasitic. DW explains why such propagandist tactics often work - and how to recognize them for what they are.
CLAIM: Mexico is planning to soon eliminate visa requirements for Russian nationals seeking to enter the country.
AP'S ASSESSMENT: Missing context. Mexico's ambassador to Russia says discussions between the two nations about mutually dropping visa requirements have been ongoing for years, but no agreement has been finalized. Eduardo Villegas MegÃas, Mexico's ambassador to Russia, says there's been no movement in the talks as Mexico remains neutral in Russia's war in Ukraine.
If it's a big and important issue, be cautious about what you share or see shared on social media.
The website looks authentic, but it isn't. Fake news sites showing well-known media brand names are acting as vehicles for Russian propaganda, among other things.
Vladimir Putin's online followers love sharing videos or photos of the Russian president that play up his strongman image. But sometimes in doing so, they share fake and manipulated videos - which then go viral. The Truth or Fake team take a look at two examples.
Whether it's on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, there are plenty of fake accounts. People using these accounts hide behind a fake avatar and incite debates or mock other users. Sometimes even the profile pictures are completely fabricated - they're not real people. In this episode, the Truth or Fake team shows you how to spot these fake photos. [Ed. note: As of 2024, spammers can use AI to create profile pics that can't be identified using this technique.]
For this section, we will look at claims that come in form of images. The images could be distorted to misrepresent an issue. It could as well be an old image shared to depict a new reality but from a different context.
Whichever form an image is presented on the internet you might be able to verify it with the aid of tools for image fact-checking such as are Google Reverse Image Search, Tin Eye, InVid, Yandex and so on.