What's Crap on WhatsApp?

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:No, a diabetes cure is not ‘just a drop of inbox message' away – ignore social media posts claiming otherwise. https://bit.ly/diabetes_inboxNo, a ‘lemon, garlic drink' won't treat high blood pressure – ignore this claim. https://bit.ly/garlic_lemonShould you eat MORE salt, going against common health advice? No! https://bit.ly/salt_vaccinesIs it true that ‘vaccines do not work'? Of course not, vaccines are safe and effective. https://bit.ly/salt_vaccinesYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”*, we look at four viral claims:Ignore this harmful claim - pap smears do not damage the cervix or have the potential to cause abnormal cell growth. https://bit.ly/papsmear_saCan drinking rosemary, cinnamon and turmeric tea lower blood sugar? Of course not, see a doctor instead.https://bit.ly/bloodsugar_lowCan eating a salted apple offer ‘instant headache relief'? No! Too much salt can be harmful. https://bit.ly/headacherelief_saltAre red jatropha leaves the next big thing for HIV. Nope. https://bit.ly/jatropha_hivYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”*, we look at four viral claims:No, South African soldiers in the DRC are not pawning their weapons in ‘Guns-for-Busfare Initiative'. https://bit.ly/southafrica_weaponsHave smartwatches been found to emit ‘dangerous levels' of radiation? No! https://bit.ly/smartwatches_radiationShould you avoid biopsies, because they can cause cancer to spread? No, that's risky. https://bit.ly/cancer_biopsyNo, this message claiming US president Donald Trump has been arrested won't ‘attack your bank account'. https://bit.ly/trump_messageYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Will ginger and lemon cure diabetes? Of course not - this home remedy is nothing new and not effective. https://bit.ly/3Y38cn6No, there's still no evidence for ‘seismic waves cards' that will ‘hack your phone in 10 seconds'. https://bit.ly/4cAYP47Beware of job scams! South African retailer Woolworths only recruits through its official website. https://bit.ly/4ikLazhIs Capitec hiring ‘ATM assistance' through Facebook? Nope, this is yet another job scam! https://bit.ly/4imiRjUYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into claims about South Africa's roads:Are South Africa's roads really the worst in the world to drive in?Fact-checking viral road safety hoaxes.Tips and tricks for spotting crime misinformation.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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Beware: No smartphone app can test for HIV! Adverts making these claims are scams. https://bit.ly/hiv_appCan drinking baking soda water after meals and consuming honey and cannabis oil cure late-stage pancreatic cancer? Of course not.Is the South African Police Service hiring, or is this just another job scam? https://bit.ly/saps_hiringZOMBIE CLAIM: There is still no warning from the BBC about ‘dangerous videos' spreading on phones. https://bit.ly/hoax_bbcYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:No, South Africa's Department of Basic Education is not planning to introduce ‘grade 13' in high schools. https://bit.ly/sa_grade13Does this video show a sinkhole at the ‘Harties tunnel' in South Africa? Nope. https://bit.ly/sa_sinkholeCan a mixture of turmeric and ginger ‘reduce the growth of fibroids'? Of course not. https://bit.ly/cure_fibroids‘Corpus Christi': the Frankenstein hoax that keeps on giving. https://bit.ly/christi_corpusYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Reports of more deaths of South African children from spaza shop poisonings are not true, ignore engagement bait. https://bit.ly/sa_poisoningsCan dried pawpaw seeds cure fibroids? Of course not. https://bit.ly/fibroids_remedyZOMBIE CLAIM: Drug dealers aren't trying to lure kids with ‘strawberry meth'. https://bit.ly/strawberry_drugsHas South African president Cyril Ramaphosa been arrested in Nigeria? No! https://bit.ly/ramaphosa_arrestYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Ignore the widely shared claim that 100% of South Africa's HIV/Aids funding comes from the United States, it's mostly funded by the SA government. https://bit.ly/hiv_fundingHas South Africa raised its retirement age to 70? Nope. https://bit.ly/sa_retirementDon't believe this old claim: South Africa hasn't barred white-owned farms from agricultural export permits. https://bit.ly/sa_farmsCan hot water infused with cloves provide a wide range of reproductive health benefits? No! https://bit.ly/clove_waterYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:This widely shared video of a school child assaulted by a teacher is from Nigeria, not South Africa. https://bit.ly/video_nigeriaDoes this video show South African firefighters travelling to the United States in January 2025 to assist with wildfire response? Nope! https://bit.ly/southafrica_wildfiresNo, China has not declared a state of emergency (https://bit.ly/hmpv_emergency) or closed any schools (https://bit.ly/hmpv_schools) due to HMPV infections.SCAM: Is Stagwell offering ‘an easy way to earn extra money from home' in South Africa? No! https://bit.ly/stagwell_moneyYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into three top tools for verifying information in 2025: Using Google's About this tool: How and why. The Wayback Machine: An internet time capsule. InVid and WeVerify's verification plugin: Speedy video debunks.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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In our last episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” for 2024, we look at 3 viral claims and share some tips for avoiding false information this festive season:Does this video show the pillars of a bridge cut near their bases by “illegal foreigners” in South Africa? No, they're part of the original design! https://bit.ly/sa_bridgeThe South African Police Service has rubbished a “special public announcement for the festive season”. https://bit.ly/saps_statementDo these dodgy-looking links offer ‘cash prizes' through the rewards programme of South African retailer Spar? Nope. https://bit.ly/spar_rewardsWhat should you look out for when debunking crap on WhatsApp this holiday season? We've got some tips!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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Was there a nationwide product recall issued for a batch of Yaz Plus, a hormonal birth control pill in South Africa? Surprisingly, yes! https://bit.ly/yaz_southafricaDon't try these home remedies for detoxifying heavy metals from the body. https://bit.ly/metals_heavyCan this “herbal tea” cure glaucoma, cataracts and other eye conditions? Of course not. https://bit.ly/tea_eyesNo, Spar South Africa is still not hiring part-time workers for “this December”. https://bit.ly/hiring_sparYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Did US president-elect Donald Trump make a controversial speech about Africans, called “rise up Africans”? Nope. https://bit.ly/trump_africansBeware: This child kidnapping warning is a variation on an old hoax. https://bit.ly/child_kidnapping

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Folic acid is vital during pregnancy, ignore widely shared claims to throw the nutrient “in the trash”. https://bit.ly/folicacid_folateDo these videos show the secretary general of South Africa's largest political party, criticising president Cyril Ramaphosa? No! https://bit.ly/fikile_mbalulaDid South African political party the Democratic Alliance hoist a giant Israeli flag on Cape Town's iconic Table Mountain? Nope. https://bit.ly/capetown_flagDon't worry, you STILL won't fall victim to phishing if you share greeting messages on WhatsApp. https://bit.ly/greeting_messagesYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Was this photo of a Somali man with a gun taken in South Africa? No! https://bit.ly/somalia_southafricaNo, the South African Social Security Agency is not giving grants to chronically ill South Africans aged over 70. https://bit.ly/sassa_grantSCAM: ‘Phase 5' of South Africa's presidential youth employment initiative is not open. https://bit.ly/sa_phase5Can this miracle formula cure chronic kidney disease? No, an expert warns people not to look for solutions on social media. https://bit.ly/cure_kidneyYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into the current health emergency, mpox:What is mpox? Revisiting what we know about the contagious virus.Quick debunks of common myths.Tips on fact-checking during disease outbreaks.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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four viral claims:Can a common type of grass reverse kidney failure? Nope. https://bit.ly/kidney_failureShould those with candidiasis avoid sugar, wheat and dairy? No! https://bit.ly/candidiasis_treatmentSCAM: Be wary of ‘R6,000' vacancies for Capitec advertised in unverified social media posts. https://bit.ly/capitec_scamSCAM: Ignore these posts claiming several South African retailers are hiring. https://bit.ly/southafrica_jobscamYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+2782 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:These old photos have been used to inflame tensions after a South African mayor's controversial proposal to hire ‘foreigners'. https://bit.ly/sa_protestHas the World Health Organization ordered countries to prepare for ‘mega lockdowns' over the mpox outbreak? No! https://bit.ly/mpox_lockdown‘Deliberate misinformation' – watermelon and cuttlebone are not a remedy for high blood pressure. https://bit.ly/highblood_pressureCan guava leaves cure ulcers? Nope. https://bit.ly/guava_ulcersYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:There's no evidence that 'Jinja Herbal Extracts' can cure various diseases and conditions, seek verified medical attention instead. https://bit.ly/jinja_herbalextractsDoes the British monarch own all the land in England? Britain's land laws are no model for expropriation in South Africa. https://bit.ly/uk_lawsCan soursop leaf tea cure cancer, depression, and diabetes? Nope, there is no scientific evidence to support this. https://bit.ly/soursop_cureWill Eskom give you R5,000 for reporting illegal electricity connections? No, Eskom said there is no reward programme. https://bit.ly/eskom_rewardYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:Does this screenshot show a post about “digital and medical IDs” by Western Cape premier Alan Winde? Nope, it's a parody account. https://bit.ly/winde_postThere's no proof that South Africa's new home affairs minister Leon Schreiber is ‘a Zimbabwean foreigner'. https://bit.ly/schreiber_foreignerDid a South African politician really write that black people in the Democratic Alliance party ‘are just experiments'? Of course not! https://bit.ly/da_mazzoneScam: Don't be duped by ‘official' letters guaranteeing admission to South African universities for a fee. https://bit.ly/university_feeYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:No, don't use a mixture of salt, sugar and dry gin as a remedy for cholera. Seek medical attention instead. https://bit.ly/mixture_choleraHas Bill Gates hasn't launched maggot milk? Thankfully, this claim is false. https://bit.ly/maggot_milkDo not use tomato leaf juice to treat cataracts. See a doctor to avoid making the condition worse. https://bit.ly/cataracts_tomatoleafDeepfake layer cake: These poorly made Barbara O'Neill impersonations are as bad as some of her health claims. https://bit.ly/deepfake_impersonationYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we take a deep dive into post-election misinformation:Quick debunks of widely-shared myths.Harmful effects of election misinformation & tips to avoid it.What's next for South Africa?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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:FALSE: South Africa's electoral commission has debunked claims around ‘changing' vote numbers on the results dashboard. https://bit.ly/sa_votesDoes this video show boxes of ‘hidden', ‘uncounted' votes cast in South Africa's 2024 elections? Of course not. https://bit.ly/uncounted_ballotboxesIs a “memo” by the Democratic Alliance saying it intended to undermine a ‘coalition' government real? Nope! https://bit.ly/da_memoThis video shows a 2022 twister in the USA, not a tornado in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province. https://bit.ly/sa_tornadoYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:Will the US security agency start a war in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province and frame the uMkhonto weSizwe party? Of course not! https://bit.ly/cia_southafricaThere's no evidence that South Africa's two biggest political parties bribed the electoral commission to rig the election. https://bit.ly/southafrica_briberyIs the fruit drink brand Maaza and other soft drinks infected with Ebola? No! https://bit.ly/ebola_drinksIgnore this false #ZombieClaim that people who got vaccinated against Covid ‘are no more humans'. https://bit.ly/covid_vaccinatedYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four election-related claims doing the rounds:FALSE: South Africa's electoral commission has dispelled claims of ‘destroyed' ballot boxes in South Africa's Limpopo province. https://bit.ly/iec_ballotboxesWere ‘mystery' ballot papers ‘discovered' pre-filled with votes for South Africa's ruling party? Nope! https://bit.ly/anc_iecNo, person dressed in South Africa's ruling party colours does not also work for electoral commission. https://bit.ly/anc_southafricaDoes this image show a confidential letter from a US intelligence official to a member of South Africa's main opposition party? No. https://bit.ly/us_letterancYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:Are eight out of 10 people employed in the Democratic Alliance governed Western Cape? No, this is incorrect. https://bit.ly/western_capeThere is no evidence to support the claim that a mixture of avocado seed and rubbing alcohol can cure joint pain. https://bit.ly/avocado_alcohol#ZOMBIECLAIM: Don't believe this old warning about the ‘different and deadly' coronavirus ‘XBB variant'. https://bit.ly/xbb_variant#SCAM: Voting for your favourite bank on social media won't reward you with cash prizes. https://bit.ly/bank_cashprizeYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four election-related claims doing the rounds:Did the African National Congress (ANC) keep its promise to implement national health insurance in South Africa? No. https://bit.ly/anc_promiseUS president Joe Biden did not warn of South African sanctions if the ANC wins the 2024 elections. Ignore this AI-generated video. https://bit.ly/biden_ancDoes this video show Mozambican migrants ‘imported' to vote for South Africa's ruling party? Of course not. https://bit.ly/mozambican_migrantsThis image of an unenclosed public toilet was built by the opposition Democratic Alliance in 2009, not the ANC. https://bit.ly/anc_toiletYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into election misinformation:Claims you are likely to see during election season.Emerging narratives on social media.What to watch out for on election day. 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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:Did load-shedding cost the economy R300 billion in 2022? This claim is mostly correct. https://bit.ly/loadshedding_economyNo, you can't ‘eliminate' varicose veins with rosemary and laurel. There is no cure for the condition. https://bit.ly/varicoseveins_cureYes, WhatsApp is still encrypted. Ignore this viral hoax doing the rounds since 2021. https://bit.ly/whatsapp_encryptedCan you get a South African ID online? No, ignore messages claiming they can help you obtain essential documents. https://bit.ly/southafrica_documentsYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:Will the real Slim Shady please stand up? Eminem did not endorse the EFF opposition party in South Africa, this video is a deepfake. https://bit.ly/eminem_effYes, the top three billionaires do own more wealth than the poorest 26 million citizens in South Africa. https://bit.ly/wealth_inequalityIf you don't vote in South Africa's elections, will your vote automatically go to the ruling party? No! https://bit.ly/southafrica_votesDoes this video show a Nigerian citizen arrested in South Africa for selling drugs? Nope! https://bit.ly/southafrica_nigeriaYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 08 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds: Is South Africa the most unequal country in the world? Yes, but there are problems with cross-country comparisons. https://bit.ly/southafrica_unequalNo, the South African Reserve Bank did not give a performance award to a bank in Orania. https://bit.ly/sarb_oraniaDid Microsoft announce plans to ‘disable' computers used to post ‘non-mainstream content'? Nope! https://bit.ly/microsoft_computers No, South Africans did not attack Nigerians after the 2024 Afcon semifinal. https://bit.ly/afcon_attackYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:SCAM ALERT: A false message claims to offer prepaid electricity to the public through unverified WhatsApp numbers. https://bit.ly/prepaid_electricityDoes this video show supporters of South Africa's uMkhonto weSizwe Party? No, it shows a May Day rally in the Dominican Republic. https://bit.ly/crowd_southafricaThis viral video shows a homophobic assault in Brazil, not a white farmer attacked in South Africa. https://bit.ly/southafrica_videoDoes a photo of a large rusted vehicle lying across a river show an “old school bus turned into a bridge in Zimbabwe”? Nope! https://bit.ly/bus_bridgeYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?”, we look at four claims doing the rounds:No, South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters party is not making fake identity documents for migrants. https://bit.ly/eff_fakeidentityIs aluminium in vaccines or aluminium foil bad for your health? No, these claims are false. https://bit.ly/aluminium_healthDoes this image show a mobile phone factory in Zambia? No, it was made using artificial intelligence. https://bit.ly/phone_factoryThis widely-shared photo shows the famous Hoover dam in the US, not the Nandoni dam in South Africa's Limpopo province. https://bit.ly/nandoni_damYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (+27 82 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of “What's Crap on WhatsApp?” we take a deep dive into election misinformation:Investigating claims made by the ruling African National Congress during its annual January 8th statement. https://africacheck.info/ancstatement_southafricaWhy it's important to debunk misinformation ahead of the 2024 general elections in South Africa.Tips to help you spot and debunk election misinformation.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 message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

In our first episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* for 2024, we look at four claims doing the rounds:Not all Oreo biscuits are halal but NONE of them are made with pig's milk. https://bit.ly/oreo_milkDo some common South African foods contain graphene oxide? Nope. https://bit.ly/food_grapheneoxideNo, CBD gummies won't cure your tinnitus, and may make ringing in your ears worse. https://bit.ly/cbd_tinnitusWas South African president Cyril Ramaphosa rushed to hospital? No, ignore this ‘malicious rumour,' says spokesperson. https://bit.ly/ramaphosa_hospitalYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

It's our last episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* this year. We're looking back at four claims from 2023:Yes, it is possible that drinking too much water can be lethal. https://bit.ly/water_intoxicationDo NOT throw flour on a fire - flour is a fuel that can itself catch fire. Ignore this widely shared advice. https://bit.ly/fire_flourNo, you still don't risk catching leptospirosis by drinking from a tin can. https://bit.ly/leptospirosis_canBeware of this dangerous advice! Colloidal silver cannot be used as an antibiotic or HIV medicine. https://bit.ly/colloidalsilver_antibioticYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds:No, this video does not show looting in South Africa by an opposition party to protest the sale of Israeli products. https://bit.ly/southafrica_lootingDoes this video show South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa having a ‘chip' scanned? No, he is having his temperature taken. https://bit.ly/ramaphosa_scanIs South Africa's president Cyril Ramaphosa giving away 10GB of data via these links? Of course not. https://bit.ly/ramaphosa_dataNo bomb threat: there was no arrest at this South African stadium during the African Football League final. https://bit.ly/stadium_bombYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds:Did Russian president Vladimir Putin warn the US not to interfere in the Israel-Hamas war? No! https://bit.ly/putin_usDo antibiotics make you depressed? There's some link, but social media mangles the facts. https://bit.ly/antibiotics_depressedStick to doctor-prescribed TB medication - there is no evidence ‘giant milkweed' can cure the disease. https://bit.ly/milkweed_tbNo, this video does not show ‘virgin women' in a slave market ‘somewhere in Africa'. https://bit.ly/virgin_womenYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds:Don't believe this fake post. South African president Ramaphosa did not apologise to ‘the people of Zimbabwe'. https://bit.ly/ramaphosa_zimbabweBeware of this dangerous advice! Colloidal silver cannot be used as an antibiotic or HIV medication. https://bit.ly/colloidalsilver_antibioticDoes this video show a three-storey building collapsing during South Africa's #CapeStorm? Nope. https://bit.ly/capestorm_videoDoes this video show people peeing on an African child in a French village? No. https://bit.ly/african_frenchvillageYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we take a deep dive into climate change misinformation:Has South Africa beat its climate goal through load shedding? https://bit.ly/climate_loadsheddingClimate change denial - watch out for these false claims.How do we stop it? Tips for spotting and debunking climate misinformation.Your friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds: This video of a massive wave crashing into a restaurant is from KwaZulu-Natal, not the Western Cape. https://bit.ly/sa_floodvideoCan unripe pawpaw cure diabetes, high blood pressure or ulcers? No, be wary of this home remedy. https://bit.ly/pawpaw_benefitsTedros Ghebreyesus did get vaccinated against Covid-19. Ignore this old video being shared on social media. https://bit.ly/who_covidvaccineDid McDonald's lose a legal battle with chef Jamie Oliver? Watch out for this zombie claim! https://bit.ly/mcdonalds_oliverYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds:Ignore widely shared videos on WhatsApp and do NOT throw flour on a fire. It is a fuel which can itself catch alight. https://bit.ly/fire_flourDo you need to take ‘three half minute pauses' to avoid ‘sudden unexpected death' when waking up at night? Nope. https://bit.ly/sleep_wakingNo, Zoom updates won't use your data to train artificial intelligence models without an option to opt out. https://bit.ly/zoom_informationAre lemon peels 10,000 times stronger than chemo and can they kill cancer cells? No, these claims are false. https://bit.ly/lemon_benefitsYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds:No, this old video doesn't show South African president Cyril Ramaphosa speaking about ‘farm murders'. https://bit.ly/ramaphosa_videoWill restricting sugar, and drinking hot lemon water or coconut oil make cancer ‘disappear'? No! https://bit.ly/sugar_cancerDid Russian nuclear bombers land in South Africa ahead of the 2023 Brics summit? No, this video is from 2019. https://bit.ly/southafrica_russia No, these photos of an abandoned pool are not from South Africa, it's an old resort in the United States. https://bit.ly/pool_southafricaYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.

On this episode of *“What's Crap on WhatsApp?”* we look at four claims doing the rounds:No, depression is not a result of ‘highs' from certain foods and substances. https://bit.ly/depression_foodCan castor oil break up cancerous breast tumours? Nope, controversial naturopath is wrong again. https://bit.ly/castoroil_tumourGot a minor burn wound? Don't use Epsom salts, hold it under running water instead. https://bit.ly/epsomsalt_burnNo, Yoni pearls won't improve your vagina or cure anything. https://bit.ly/pearls_yoniYour friends and family can sign up for our show! Tell them to save our number (082 709 3527) and send us a WhatsApp message to confirm. You can send us any WhatsApp message that you need fact-checked! Forward videos, pictures and links to this number.