India's Lynch Mobs: WhatsApp works to prevent spread of rumors following deadly lynching incidents

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02:30

Now to the digital world. WhatsApp is working on a new feature to help prevent the spread of hoax messages in India. This comes after a spate of lynchings triggered by rumors shared on the messaging service. The Indian government issued a warning to the company over its role in the incidents. Ravinder Bawa has more from Delhi.

"Family members of five men lynched to death on 1st July this year are still in a state of shock. Villagers who suspected them to be a part of a gang of child lifters attacked the five men with sticks and stones. This incident of violence was triggered, like many others, by social media rumours."

NIKHIL PAHWA DIGITAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST "What would have taken time to go from one person to the other for a rumour to spread over time happens in seconds and especially on ideas of children being kidnapped or people of other religion. These are motive issues and they lead to passion."

In about a year India has witnessed 15 incidents of lynching. These killings have been based on fake information of alleged child abductors circulating on social media like Whatspp.

In the last year, murderous mobs have killed 27 people in 9 states across India.

NIMISH DESAI PSYCHIATRIST "Step one rumour spreads on social media which is understandable as mass hysteria, second is the mob behavior because of the social issue which is child protection and third is an in general citizens lack of faith in the law enforcement agencies."

The rise in such incidents prompted the government to send a notice to whatsapp to curb the spread of misinformation.

RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD INDIAN ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY MINISTER "While we welcome them (Whatsapp) completely in India's digital story, and also making a commercial success of it, they must remain accountable, responsible and vigilant."

India is WhatsApp's biggest market with over 200 million users. The misinformation being spread through this medium is going out of hand for the law enforcement agencies and the only way they can stop it is by imposing internet shut downs in their districts. Ravinder Bawa, Delhi.