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MEA expands fact check initiative with official Instagram account
Ministry broadens anti misinformation efforts after viral post clarification
MUMBAI: When rumours travel at the speed of a reel, the government wants facts to keep pace. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has launched its official MEA FactCheck account on Instagram, expanding its efforts to counter misinformation and fake news across social media platforms.
The newly launched account describes itself as the ministry’s official fact-check platform, dedicated to debunking misleading claims and publishing verified clarifications issued by the MEA.
The move comes days after the ministry used its MEA FactCheck handle on X to rebut a viral social media post that falsely attributed remarks to MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on allegations of foreign funding linked to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests.
The viral post claimed that Jaiswal had stated there was no foreign funding behind the protests based on intelligence inputs and investigations.
Rejecting the claim, the ministry labelled the post “misleading”, saying it misrepresented the spokesperson’s statement.
To set the record straight, the MEA shared a video clip from Jaiswal’s biweekly media briefing, in which he said: “Regarding the point you raised about allegations of foreign funding and other such claims in connection with the ongoing protests, I would like to say that I do not have any information on this matter to share with you at this time.”
According to information shared by the ministry, authorities have also taken action against the social media account responsible for circulating the misleading post following last week’s protests.
With its arrival on Instagram, the MEA has extended its fact-checking presence beyond X, where it has regularly issued clarifications on misleading reports, manipulated content and false claims relating to the ministry and India’s foreign policy.
The launch reflects a broader push by government agencies to combat the rapid spread of misinformation across multiple social media platforms. As news increasingly travels through short-form videos, reels and viral posts, the MEA is signalling that its fact-checking efforts will now follow audiences wherever the conversation moves.
