Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Jun 28: The spread of fake news about celebrities on social media for monetary gains has been increasing, and recently actress Sudharani and actor Shivarajkumar were also targeted by a false “fake marriage” claim that went viral.
Upset over the misleading content, Sudharani took the help of cyber police to trace the YouTuber who had allegedly circulated the false information. The YouTuber later admitted his mistake and apologised, with Sudharani sharing the apology video on her YouTube channel.
The false claim suggested that Sudharani had been in love with Shivarajkumar and wanted to marry him but stepped back because he was the son of legendary actor Dr Rajkumar. The claim was uploaded on a YouTube channel and spread widely before cyber police traced the person responsible.
In the apology video, the YouTuber said, “I uploaded wrong information about Sudharani madam on my YouTube channel. The information was false. I apologise for uploading incorrect content. I request all YouTube channel operators not to share any information without verifying facts or post anything that harms another person’s reputation. Such actions can lead to legal consequences. I once again apologise to Sudharani madam for my mistake.”
Reacting to the incident, Sudharani said gossip and loose talk earlier used to spread through local gatherings, but social media has now taken over that space and made fake news reach a global audience.
“Earlier, gossip and loose talks were limited to places like village gatherings. Today, social media has taken over, and fake news is becoming world famous through these platforms,” she said while sharing the video.
She also thanked the cyber crime team for helping trace the person behind the fake news.
“Earlier this person had also spread fake news about me. Technology has improved so much that the same speed at which fake news is created and circulated is also the speed at which the person can be caught. Thanks to the cyber team,” Sudharani said.
She warned those creating fake content and posting offensive comments on social media to understand the rules and regulations of online platforms, stating that violations could lead to serious legal action.