TPLF rejecting negotiation with the government
Last week, a false video clip emerged on YouTube on June 17, 2022, with a thumbnail title claiming that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) announced it doesn’t want negotiations with the federal government of Ethiopia.
Though the thumbnail and the title of the video claimed TPLF’s rejection of the negotiation, the content of the video is an explanation of the five preconditions presented by TPLF.
HaqCheck, however, confirmed that the content of the video doesn’t state TPLF’s refusal to negotiate. The content tells that TPLF has presented five non-negotiable conditions to negotiate with the federal government.
Thus, the video clip was rendered MISLEADING because there is no connection or relevance between the video’s thumbnail, title and its actual content.
Dawit Nega passing away after being beaten in Addis Ababa
False claim came out after the news of the death of Dawit Nega, a popular Tigrinya singer. They claimed that the singer was dead after being beaten by Eritreans in Addis Ababa.
However, the claim was proven false. BBC News Tigrinya interviewed Dawit Nega’s family and confirmed he was dead shortly after a pneumonia illness. He was taken to Addis Hiwot Hospital for treatment but passed away within a few days.
Imposter Twitter account
HaqCheck observed imposter content on Twitter last week. A Twitter account created in the name of Addis Ababa Police shared information that sex toys were caught in Bole.
However, HaqCheck confirmed that the account was not the official Twitter account of the Addis Ababa Commission. The city’s police commission has its own authentic and verified Twitter account.
The imposter’s Twitter account was later changed from ‘Addis Ababa Police’ to ‘Dark Nigga’ after sharing the viral tweet.
Recommendations
HaqCheck urges social media users to be cautious of false information and imposter accounts. They should look for authentic accounts and search if the information originated from there.
They should cross-check information by resorting to mainstream media outlets and fact-checking organizations.
Social media content creators are recommended to be responsible and refrain from circulating false and unverified content across social media platforms.
YouTube has been a major platform for false and misleading content. We observe YouTube channels disseminating misleading and false titles, thumbnails, and information to seek audiences’ attention given its financial incentives for viewership. HaqCheck urges YouTubers to avoid disinforming users across social media.
