Social media posts circulating on platforms claim that researchers in the United Kingdom have developed a bio-inspired robotic fish capable of swimming through the ocean and “eating” microplastics that are difficult to remove using conventional cleanup methods. However, available evidence shows that it is an experimental prototype rather than a proven ocean-cleanup solution, and it […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel A graphic claiming the United Nations has redrawn the boundaries of human age groups has been circulating on Sri Lankan social media again this week. The posts are shared widely on Facebook with a caption telling people not to be fooled by anyone, who calls even someone in 60’s as […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel A claim that strikes at the heart of one of Sri Lanka’s deepest national wounds began circulating on social media: that former DIG Priyalal Dassanayake had given Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith prior warning of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks and that, because the Cardinal allegedly suppressed this information, he is the […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel Rental housing has become one of Sri Lanka’s quiet crises, with more families squeezed into rented rooms and houses every year, often with little legal protection. So, when a certificate began circulating on social media warning that fake agents were collecting money and fraudulent documents from desperate tenant families, under […]
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A viral claim circulating on social media alleges that Iranian footballer Mohammad Mohebi was deported by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after making a controversial “gun gesture” celebration following his goal during Iran’s 2-2 FIFA World Cup draw against New Zealand at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. However, our investigation found no evidence […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s arrest and subsequent bail have dominated Sri Lankan political conversation this week. Amid that attention, a graphic formatted to look like a News1st news flash began circulating, attributing a pointed statement to former Speaker Ashoka Ranwala demanding that Yoshitha produce certificates proving his Navy recruitment and UK training […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel A list of traffic fine amounts has been circulating on social media, and the figures are striking enough to grab attention. Some entries show fines several times higher than what most drivers expect to pay for common violations. We checked whether Sri Lanka’s traffic fine structure has actually been revised. […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel Whenever the Central Bank Governor appears before Parliament, his every word is scrutinized and frequently repackaged on social media to fit a political narrative. Recently, a post claimed Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe admitted to MPs that Sri Lanka’s economy is collapsing and that the government is to blame. We investigated whether […]
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Subscribe to our WhatsApp Channel Recycling old video clips as recent events is one of the most common forms of misleading content on Sri Lankan social media. A short clip of a CEB official telling Sri Lankans that children do not need electricity to study and could use a kerosene lamp instead has been circulating […]
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A viral message circulating on social media platforms warns people not to pick up pen-like objects found on roadsides, claiming they are “pen bombs” that can explode when opened or clicked. However, our investigation found that the images are being misrepresented and there is no evidence that the pens shown in the viral posts are […]
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