The company used artificial intelligence to fact-check this claim and found it to be untrue.
BENGALURU: Messages about petrol pumps being closed in Karnataka, owing to lack of transportation through flood-hit highways began spreading on social media, including WhatsApp and Twitter, on Thursday. It said petrol pumps will be closed for the next three days from August 9 to August 11 due to heavy rain and roadblock. People were advised to make alternate arrangements. A worried citizen uploaded the information on Logically app — a fake news fighting startup based in Karnataka (Mysuru) and the United Kingdom.
The company used artificial intelligence to fact-check this claim and found it to be untrue.“A user uploaded the claim on Twitter which he received on WhatsApp, which is assigned to a fact-checker to investigate. Our software that uses artificial intelligence goes through all kinds of tweets related to the subject. Further research led to a tweet by Akhila Karnataka Federation of Petroleum Traders official advising people not to panic and fall prey to fake messages about petrol bunks,” Suchita Goel, senior analyst and supervisor of Logically told TNIE.
Ranjith Hegde, secretary of Akhila Karnataka Federation of Petroleum Traders said, “Petrol tankers are transported by road or even through train wagons. If some highways are affected, we just use other longer routes. There is also a supply of fuel through pipelines between Chennai – Bengaluru and Mangaluru – Hassan.”
