This training, which will be multilingual for users speaking different regional languages, will help with tools and real-world anecdotes for verification of messages
WhatsApp and NASSCOM have made it to the headlines by collaborating to educate people by holding training sessions to challenge digital illiteracy. The deal aims to train approximately 100,000 Indians about tips and tricks to spot misinformation and being safe before Lok Sabha Elections 2019.
WhatsApp stated that the motive behind this collaboration is to make people aware about forwarded rumors. This training, which will be multilingual for users speaking different regional languages, will help with tools and real-world anecdotes for verification of messages and take action if they find it reportable by reporting content to factcheckers and law enforcement.
According to a report published by Business Standard, volunteers can register at www.mykartavya.nasscomfoundation.org to be a part of training program.
Reportedly, the first training session will be hosted in Delhi on 27 March for representatives belonging to rural and urban areas and interactions and shows across colleges. According to NASSCOM, they will train their volunteers for ‘Each One Teach Three’ campaign in which every volunteer will share his/her learnings with three persons, creating a network effect. Volunteers will share their learnings through social media handles as well to educate more people.
CEO of NASSCOM Foundation, Ashok Pamidi, stated that technology platforms like WhatsApp are supposed to foster social harmony and collaboration but some crooks misguide people by forwarding false information. He further added that they hope to guide people to identify fake piece of information and impacts of forwarding to more users.
Abhijit Bose, Head of India, WhatsApp was reportedly quoted stating that he is excited to expand partnerships with civil society to increase literacy about misinformation on WhatsApp and train people throughout the India to spot fake news and verify facts about the content before forwarding.
For the record, National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, was established in 1988 and is a nonprofit trade association of IT and BPO industry.
