Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

How to use WhatsApp’s new coronavirus fact-checking chatbot

WhatsApp has become a hotbed of false information regarding the coronavirus, but a new chatbot tied to fact-checkers is hoping to combat that. 

Last month, after conspiracy theories, rumors, hoaxes, and false cures about the coronavirus proliferated on the platform, the Facebook-owned messaging app introduced limits on forwards for its more than 2 billion users. Anything shared more than five times could only be sent to a single participant or group at a time after that point. 

Recommended Videos

Now, a chatbot tied to the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit journalism research organization, is looking to debunk misinformation more proactively. Here’s how the WhatsApp fact-checking chatbot can help clear up misinformation about the coronavirus.

Why wouldn’t I just Google my coronavirus questions?

Anyone can Google a rumor or theory about coronavirus and get a million hits, but sifting through what is and isn’t true or requires time, energy, and expertise. 

The chatbot launched by Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) connects users to the vetted work andcontact information of more than 80 fact-checking organizations in 74 countries. These checkers have been working since the beginning of the year and have already debunked nearly 4,000 hoaxes and claims. 

Poynter’s database includes information correcting false assumptions about the many scam miracle “cures” for the virus, along with false conspiracy theories linking 5G to COVID-19 or those that say the virus was created in a Chinese lab and released intentionally. It is updated daily and free to access. 

WhatsApp uses your phone number’s country code to also direct you to local listings of fact-checkers. People can reach out to these organizations to submit new claims for verification or just search the existing database. 

How to use WhatsApp’s new coronavirus fact-checking chatbot

Save the number +1 727 291 2606 to your phone. In WhatsApp, message the number “Hello.”  

An automatic message will pop up that reads: “Message us 24/7 to bust myths and check facts about COVID-19,  ” followed by a pretty simple numbered menu. 

The chatbot allows you to search the database of fact-checked items right there on the messaging platform. For instance, if you type in “garlic,” the chatbot sends you information that says the claim that garlic can help cure coronavirus is “misleading” and “false,” and also shows you which organization investigated the claim.

Can I get this in my language? 

The chatbot is only available in English for now, but will soon launch in Spanish and Hindi, thanks to a grant from WhatApp. The problem of misinformation was particularly rampant among users with Indian phone numbers. The company and Poynter have not yet said if the service will be launched in additional languages. 

Mythili Sampathkumar
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Mythili is a freelance journalist based in New York. When not reporting about politics, foreign policy, entertainment, and…
WhatsApp makes it easier to get the best out of Meta AI
Meta AI WhatsApp widget.

Meta has found another place to push its eponymous AI, after injecting it as a standalone chat character in the world’s most popular messaging app. The latest public beta build of WhatsApp now allows users to create a dedicated widget for Meta AI.

You can either go with a condensed view, or an expanded view where you see three different types of controls. The feature is rolling out with build number v2.25.6.14 of the app via Google Play Store.

Read more
WhatsApp gets a chat redesign
WhatsApp on iPhone with new themes.

If you’re a fan of WhatsApp, we have some good news for you. The free messaging and video calling app now includes chat themes, which should make your experience a little more customized.

To make the change, go to the Chats menu in Settings. From there, select Choose a new wallpaper, then select one of the preset options under two subcategories: Light or Dark.

Read more
WhatsApp’s upcoming translation tool is a boon for non-obvious reasons
WhatsApp app icon appearing on a phone.

WhatApp might soon automatically detect and translate your text messages. If Meta's recent AI work is anything to go by, voice and video translations shouldn't be too far off. On the surface, it might seem like a simple translation tool, but there's more to it than meets the eye.

Just over a year ago, I reported on an app by the Indian government that is used to record attendance and pay over 150 million daily wage workers, who make as little as three dollars per day. Amid problems such as a laggy UI, poor internet connection, and lack of digital literacy, language emerged as a massive barrier in my interviews with these workers, who often travel hundreds of miles to seek work.

Read more