News Broadcasting
46% say social media easiest to spread fake news:Chrome Study
BENGALURU: It is easiest to spread fake news through social media says a Chrome Data Analytics & Media (Chrome) study – on the query ‘platform versus trust’.Moreover, 46 percent of 389 respondents felt that social media platforms were the easiest way to spread fake news against four percent that felt social media could be a trusted platform. However, the platform that earned the lowest trust quotient – just three percent, was magazines, as opposed to 6 percent that felt that fake news was easy to spread through magazines. Newsprint with a 27 percent trust quotient was the most trusted medium, but, thirteen percent of the respondents felt that it was a medium through which fake news could be spread. The medium least likely to be used for spread of fake news was said to be radio – just 5 percent of the respondents felt that it could be a medium that was easiest to spread fake news through. At the same time, just 7 percent voted for radio as a trusted source.
Please refer to the figure below:
Chrome undertook a study on fake news by interviewing 847 respondents comprising 46 percent females and 54 percent males. The age groups of the respondents were 18 to 24 years – 21 percent; 25 to 34 years – 24 percent; 35 to 44 years – 28 percent; 45 to 54 years – 15 percent and 55+ years 12 percent.
Television was the most preferred platform for news consumption with 84 percent of the respondents using it. 61 percent used social media as a source of news, 58 percent used mobile apps; 47 percent newsprint and 13 percent radio for news.
How do you identify fake news:Less than half the respondents – just 46 percent or 389 were aware of the term ‘fake news’. Of these 389 respondents,34 percent checked the source of the information to identify fake news; 26 percent decided on the basis of her/his knowledge; 21 percent searched for the related topic or headlines; 14 percent asked family members or friends; while just 10 percent asked experts/individuals who had knowledge of that domain.
23 percent of the 389 respondents felt that Bollywood category contained the maximum fake news, while 10 percent felt that it was the spiritual category.
59 percent of the 389 respondents said that they stopped following the page or any such groups where they encountered fake news, while 3 percent said that they drafted a complaint directly to the editor or the publisher.
The top recall fake news, recalled by 44 percent of the 389 respondents was about the GPS chip in the new Rs 500 and Rs 2000 currency notes. Only 8 percent had a recall of the fake news claims about the real GurmeetRam Rahim being abroad and the fake one being inside the Rohtak jail.
Chrome founder and CEO Pankaj Krishna said through a presentation, “Fake news, a type of yellow journalism, is like a plague and immunisation through education can help. The main challenge for consumers is to understand that fake and biased news are ubiquitous and further to be vigilant in detecting and then avoiding them. My advice is to consume news from multiple sources especially from those having a good track record of credibility and reliable reporting.”
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
