Fact Check Friday: Weekly Fake News Round Up
BOOM fact-checks the top five claims that went viral this week
On March 28, 2025, a massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake, followed by a 6.4 magnitude aftershock struck Myanmar's Mandalay region resulting in over 2,700 fatalities. The tremors were felt in multiple countries with damage reported in Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and southwest China. The natural disaster also triggered a surge of misinformation with old videos resurfacing and AI generated visuals shared as real.
BOOM also debunked misinformation around Indian politics and claims around the violence in Malda, West Bengal.
For Fact Check Friday, BOOM brings you the weekly round up of the top five fact-checks.
1. Viral Video Claiming To Show Earthquake Aftermath In Bangkok Is AI-Generated
We also used AI tools such as Hive Moderation and Wasitai which showed a strong likelihood of the video being AI-generated.
Read the fact-check here.
2. 2024 Taiwan Earthquake Video Falsely Spread As Myanmar Quake
A video of a heavily shaking bridge was shared with a false claim that it shows scenes from the recent earthquake in Myanmar. The video taken from a car's dashcam, shows a bridge shaking even as motorists are on it.
However, BOOM Hindi found that the video is originally from the Taiwan earthquake in April 2024, not Myanmar.
Read the fact-check here.
3. Claim of 'Seismic Waves CARD' Disguised As Earthquake Photos Is A Hoax
An old hoax claiming a file named 'Seismic Waves CARD', containing photos of the Myanmar earthquake, is a malware on WhatsApp designed to hack a user's phone has resurfaced on social media platforms.
BOOM found no credible evidence supporting the existence of such malware or device hacker. We also found that the message mirrors elements of previous hoax messages linked to cyberattacks.
Read the fact-check here.
4. Malda Violence: Viral Posts Share Partial Arrest List With Communal Claim
A partial arrest list from the violence in Malda, West Bengal, was viral with a misleading claim that only Hindus were targeted. BOOM reached out to the West Bengal police who confirmed that the viral list is incomplete and the full list includes names of accused from across communities.
The police have arrested 63 people and suspended internet services in Malda and confirmed to BOOM that the list of the arrested accused is not biased towards any religion.
Read the fact-check here.
5. AI Photo Of MS Dhoni Falsely Viral With Claims Of Joining BJP
An AI-generated image of Indian cricketer MS Dhoni and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wearing Bharatiya Janata Party’s scarves went viral with false claims stating that Dhoni is set to join the party.
BOOM checked the image and found it was created using artificial intelligence. Further, we found no credible news reports to support the claim that Dhoni is joining BJP or politics.
Read the fact-check here.