What's Crap on WhatsApp?

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: There is no evidence that criminals are posing as home affairs officers in South Africa, this claim is old!  https://bit.ly/sa_homeaffairs Was an arrest warrant issued for Bill Gates in the Philippines? No, the claim is from a known ‘fake news’ website.  https://bit.ly/arrest_gates Did South African el...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: No, this photo doesn’t show a crumbling bridge support in South Africa in 2023 – it’s from 2004 in Japan.  https://bit.ly/japan_bridgesupport Can “Gammora HIV cure kits” cure HIV/Aids? No, stick to approved treatment.  https://bit.ly/hiv_gammora There is no evidence that taking any medication before an...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: No, pressing the ATM’s cancel button won’t prevent bank card fraud.  https://bit.ly/atm_cancel Is Nigeria’s central bank allowing all old banknotes to circulate until May? Nope!  https://bit.ly/nigeria_banknotes No, this South African broadcaster hasn’t ‘censored’ a controversial interview with outgoin...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Will this pricey herbal mix cure HIV? Nope!  https://bit.ly/hiv_claims Can bitter kola eye drops cure glaucoma, myopia and other eye problems? No, see a doctor instead.  https://bit.ly/kola_eyedrops No, this photo does not show a road riddled with potholes in Harare, Zimbabwe.  https://bit.ly/zimb...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into loadshedding: What is loadshedding and how does it work? Viral claims about Eskom, its employees and their salaries. Why debunking widely-shared claims about trending topics, like loadshedding, is important. Your friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp m...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Can drinking too much water be lethal? Yes, it’s possible.  https://bit.ly/water_intoxication Did Nigeria’s information minister say voters are only interested in freebies from politicians? No!  https://bit.ly/nigeriaminister_quote Did South Africa’s provincial minister say she had “never seen any whit...

Welcome back! On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Is just 6% of the African population vaccinated against Covid-19? No!   https://bit.ly/african_vaccination Do climate activists and the World Economic Forum want to ‘slaughter’ your pets? No!  https://bit.ly/activists_pets Does this photo show a well-known port in Durban that has, in...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look back at four of the craziest claims from 2022: No, baking soda is not a miracle cure that treats cancer and kills viruses.  https://bit.ly/bakingsoda_cure A graphic warns people not to buy “biscuits called crunches” shipped from South Africa to Nigeria as they have “killed 45 people”. Don’t fall for it - it’s an old hoax!  https://bit...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Does new Twitter owner Elon Musk plan to restore accounts of all banned users, except Donald Trump? No!  https://bit.ly/musk_trump No, DuckDuckGo CEO didn’t say the search engine would ‘purge’ independent media.  https://bit.ly/duckduck_go Has there been a typhoid fever ‘outbreak’ in South Africa? Nope...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Can venomous snake bites be cured by the bark of a cashew tree? No, seek medical attention!  https://bit.ly/venomoussnake_bite Are these ‘behaviours’ football fans must avoid in Qatar during the 2022 Fifa world cup? Not quite.  https://bit.ly/qatar_worldcup No, China is NOT building police stations in...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into online scams, looking at: How to spot scams on social media. Our guide details the red flags:  https://bit.ly/scam_guide How job scams prey on desperate job seekers:  https://bit.ly/scam_analysis How one of our very own fact-checkers almost got scammed:  https://bit.ly/scam_factchecker Your friends and family can...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Do silver fillings cause serious health problems? There’s no evidence of harm for most people.  https://bit.ly/fillings_silver Is the government monitoring your WhatsApp? No, ignore old hoax.  https://bit.ly/government_whatsapp Is US comedian Steve Harvey in Nigeria to campaign for presidential hopeful...

Show notes:On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at four claims doing the rounds: Do Covid vaccines cause the body to produce toxic spike proteins that cause cancer? No!  https://bit.ly/vaccine_cancer No South Africa, you can’t apply for government housing through a dodgy link on Facebook.  https://bit.ly/rdp_housing Does this video show footage of a footbridge collapsing...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at three claims doing the rounds: Yes, our stomach acid can theoretically dissolve some metals – but don’t try it at home!  https://bit.ly/metal_acid Have foreign nationals scammed South Africa’s social grant agency out of R38,000? No, it’s FALSE.  https://bit.ly/national_grant Is the Pfizer Covid vaccine safe for teens? Yes, social m...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at three claims doing the rounds: This video misunderstands the proposed SA trespassing bill - you still have the right to defend yourself from home invaders.  https://bit.ly/sa_invaders Are conservationists dyeing elephant tusks and rhino horns pink? Nope.  https://bit.ly/elephant_rhino No, Africa isn’t the largest continent but its...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we look at three claims doing the rounds: Is Hepatitis B 100% curable? No, but chronic hepatitis B can be managed.  https://bit.ly/hepatitis_curable  (For more hepatitis debunks see  here  and  here ) It’s FAKE: Disregard this Time magazine cover deriding Kenyan politician Raila Odinga.  https://bit.ly/time_odinga Is Labou...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into a claim that has been doing the rounds: A spokesperson from the South African health laboratory linked monkeypox to men who have sex with men. Monkeypox spreads through close contact with an infected person. Among its symptoms are painful rash, fever, muscle aches, chills and exhaustion. The claim is incorrect. The virus is not...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we investigate three claims: Do these photos show flooding in Lagos, Nigeria in 2022? No!  https://bit.ly/lagos_flooding Will rubbing orange peel on your teeth whiten, fight bacteria and remove stains on teeth? No, see a dentist instead.   https://bit.ly/orangepeel_teeth Did the Dubai Police make a statement denying the arrest of the Gup...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we investigate three claims: Has heart disease in children ‘exploded’ because of the Covid-19 vaccine? No!  https://bit.ly/heart_vaccine Is South Africa a private company listed on the New York Stock Exchange? No!  https://bit.ly/sa_stock Does this photo show Kenya's Raila Odinga recently collapsed at his residence? No, the photo is years old...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we investigate three claims: If endangered bees became extinct, would it mean the end to strawberries, avocados and coffee? No!   https://bit.ly/bees_endangered Is South Africa launching a R500 note and R10 coin? No, pictures are fake and misleading.  https://bit.ly/sa_randnotes Yes, all cancer patients in a small US drug trial went into...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we investigate three claims:  Several posts have suggested that a vaccine against Covid-19 could have caused monkeypox. But it’s not true! https://bit.ly/vaccine_monkeypox   Scam alert! Ignore messages offering airtime and data to Atiku supporters in Nigeria. https://bit.ly/airtime_scam   Are Zimbabweans selling their toes because of pov...

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we investigate three health claims: Do Covid vaccines cause ovarian cancer, infertility or other reproductive disorders? No!  https://bit.ly/fertility_vaccine Is contagion a myth? No, the immune system does exist and germs do cause disease.  https://bit.ly/immune_systemgerms No, you can’t cure cancer with diet and supplements.  https://b...

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we investigate three claims: Did the Centre for Disease Control in Nigeria confirm a monkeypox ‘outbreak’? No!  https://bit.ly/monkeypox_nigeria Are there ‘no more rules regarding the wearing of face masks’ in South Africa? No, this claim is crap!  https://bit.ly/sa_mask Is the ‘National Youth Empowerment Fund’ offered on WhatsApp and Faceb...

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we investigate three claims: No, there isn’t an online Huggy Wuggy video that instructs children to “kill parents and little babies”.  https://bit.ly/huggy_wuggyvid Are you affected by the ‘aphelion phenomenon’ that apparently makes for very cold weather? Almost certainly not.  https://bit.ly/aphelion_phenom No, HAARP is not a ‘weapon of ma...

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we investigate three claims: Does a popular Nigerian drink made from the roselle or hibiscus plant “cause miscarriage” during pregnancy? No, this is false.  https://bit.ly/zobo_miscarriage No, a drink made of guava leaves won’t cure infertility.  https://bit.ly/guava_infertility Does this photo show “1 of 2 huge US prison barges on their wa...