Fact Checking 1 - Hacktoria - Walkthrough

 

This article is related to Fact Checking challenges posted on Hacktoria. This article is specific for Fact Checking 1.

The challenge is about the news from Florida (State of US). The screenshot shows the news of legalization of Methamphetamine. The challenge is to find out either it is real news or fake news.

The screenshot of the challenge is given below:

 

 

Let’s try to solve this challenge.

First let’s see what info we can get from the image.

The image gives following info:

    News Headline:    Florida Legalizes Meth

    Date of News posted:    Thursday, 13th January, 2022

    Bill Name:        Decriminalization of Methamphetamine Act

    News Info:        It is related to Methamphetamine (Highly addictive drug that affect central nervous system).

    Text related to News:    Florida Lawmakers passed the “Decriminalization of Methamphetamine Act” to fully legalize Methamphetamine. Given its properties to provide great relief during the global pandemic. Florida will be the first state to allow people the relief Methamphetamine can bring during the onset of depression. As early as of May of 2022 Floridians will be able to freely purchase Methamphetamine.

This is enough info to start the investigation. Let’s enter the bill name on search engine and analyze the results.

 

 

On Google there is no result in which it is specifically mentioned about the bill passed.

Let us try to add Florida keyword in the search so it might appear on search.

 

 

Here we found a highlighted result discussing about “Decriminalize” bill.

Try another search with the title of article mentioned in challenge “Florida Legalize Meth”:

 

 

This search result shows there are 2 links which are at least discussing something similar to the keywords entered for search. The 2nd link of this result is same of the previous result. Let try to analyze both of the links.

First compare the publishing date of these links with the date mentioned in given challenge.

1st Link Date:         20 July, 2021

2nd Link Date:         29 November, 2021

Date mentioned in Challenge:    13 January, 2022

Both of the links are older than the given date. After reading the info given on both of the above links the conclusion is that both links giving info of something else not specific to “Decriminalization of Methamphetamine”.

Let’s give it to another try with advanced date filters on search engine.

 

1. Click on Tools Button

2. Click on Any time.

3. Select Custom Range

4. Then Select Dates Near to the mentioned in the challenge.

5. Click on the “Go” button for the results.

 

It appears to be there is no such news on those specific mentioned dates.

It is not appearing on search engine. Try to search on Florida Senate web site so on search engine first try to find the Florida Senate website. If this bill is passed it be there uploaded.

 

 

Go to the Florida Senate Website.

 

 

Go to Session Tab and Click on Bills link.

 

 

After searching the bill there is only one result and it is not particularly related to the bill mentioned in Challenge. So from here it is confirmed that this story is fake.

Go to the starting point of the challenge and select the option “Fake”.

 

 

Here the challenge is completed. Kindly share it if you liked. Thank you. See you in next challenge.