PIB Fact Check: Viral Message on Turning Off Mobile Location is Fake, No Government Advisory Issued

Tech News: The recent military tension between India and Pakistan has increased the concern of common citizens about the country's security situation. In such a situation, social media, which is a powerful medium of information on one side, is becoming a base of fake news and rumors on the other side.

These days a message is going viral on Whatsapp, Instagram and Facebook, which is being claimed that Pakistan is targeting the densely populated areas of India using mobile location, so people should immediately shut down the location of their phone.

What is the claim of viral fake messages?

It is written in the message going viral:

"We have got an essential advisory on official emails. Please immediately turn off the location of our phone. Email states that the location of the phone is being used to target areas with more populated areas than drones."

This message is being spread very fast through social media groups and WhatsApp forwards. Many people also closed their phone location due to fear, but this step was taken on the basis of rumor spread under a conspiracy.

A viral image is claiming that an advisory has been issued, advising people to turn off location services on their phones immediately.#PIBFactCheck

- This claim is FAKE

- No such advisory has been issued by the GoI pic.twitter.com/8GmYpKXTkJ

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 9, 2025

PIB Fact Check revealed: Claim is completely fake

The Government of India's fact checking agency PIB Fact Check has declared this viral message to be completely fake. He informed through an official post on social media platform 'X' (East Twitter):

"No such instructions have been issued by the government that people should close their phone location. This is part of the Pakistan -backed propaganda campaign."

PIB also shared a screenshot of viral messages and appealed to the people not to trust such incredible information coming on social media.

What is the purpose of such rumors?

Fake news or rumors are not just wrong information - they are a part of psychological warfare (psychological war), which aims:

• Creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity
• Doubt the policies of army and government
• Weaken the reliability of social media
• India's internal unity and stability damage

Pakistan's intelligence agencies and its associated cyber tools have long recorded records that they have been trying to spread confusion in India through fake news, photoshopped image, fabricated video clips and concocted statements.

How to identify fake information?

See confirmation of the government source - Is this news available on the government's website or official social media page?

• Check grammar and language-Fake messages are often written in broken Hindi/English.
• Do not trust WhatsApp forward blindly - if a news is just a "relative" or "internal source", be careful.
• See Fact Czech website - like:
• Pib Fact Check: https://factcheck.pib.gov.in
• Altnews
• Boomlive
• Factly

If you see fake news, where to complain?

If you see any suspicious information, you can report it to PIB Fact Check by these mediums:

• Send to Whatsapp: 91-8799711259
• Email: Factcheck@pib.gov.in

In the coming days your social media will be flooded with #Pakistan sponsored propaganda.

It's crucial to scrutinize every piece of information carefully.

If you encounter dubious content, especially concerning the Indian Armed Forces or any info related to ongoing situation,… pic.twitter.com/YomXZUKmpH

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) May 8, 2025

Aware citizens are the foundations of a strong nation

Today, when the country is going through a sensitive phase, it is the responsibility of every citizen to prevent rumors from spreading. Sharing any message without verifying is like working against the security of the country. Spread the truth, not a rumor. Keep conscience, do not become a victim of terrorists.