 What's up users? Be cautious and careful because if you are forwarding any fake or false messages or unverified messages, being some kind of an intermediary in spreading rumors, you could face serious criminal action and prosecution under the Indian Penal Code and Information Technology Act. If the fake and false message relates to coronavirus pandemic, then action can also be taken under the disaster management laws. So kindly be mindful of the WhatsApp guidelines in this context. Understand when a message is forwarded. Messages with the forwarded label help you to determine if your friend or relative wrote the message or if it originally came from someone else. When a message is forwarded from one user to another more than five times, it is indicated with a double arrow with two arrows icon. If you're not sure who wrote the original message, double check the facts. Check photos and media carefully. Photos, audio recordings and videos can be edited to mislead you. Look at trusted news sources to see if the story is being reported elsewhere. When a story is reported in multiple places, it's more likely to be true. Look out for messages that look different. Many messages or website links you receive containing hoax messages, hoax news or fake news have spelling mistakes most times. Look for these signs so you can check if the information is accurate. Check your biases. Watch out for information that confirms your pre-existing beliefs and review the facts before sharing information. Stories that seem hard to believe are often untrue. Fake news often goes viral. You must have seen. Even if a message is shared many times, this does not make it true. Do not forward a message because the sender is urging you to do so. If you see something that's fake, tell the person that sent it to you and ask them to verify information before they share it. If a group or a contact is constantly sending fake news, report them. Don't sit silent. Don't be quiet. Don't sit back. Report it. Verify with other sources if you are still not sure if a message is true. That's your duty as a citizen, as a responsible individual. Search online for facts and check trusted news sites to see where the story came from. If you still have doubts, ask fact checkers or people you trust for more information. And finally, the most important message. If you feel that you or someone else is in emotional or physical danger, please contact your local law enforcement authorities. Local law enforcement authorities are equipped to help you in such cases, in these cases.