Disinformation and clickbait articles have been the misinformation categories that have dominated the media ecosystem over the past week.
The disinformation content related to old articles about movement restrictions in Switzerland, that the German national team has recruited a footballer of Albanian origin, that Germany needs workers in several sectors, about new earthquakes in Turkey, and the claim that two Serbs were beaten by a special unit of the Kosovo police.
Clickbait articles have mainly been related to various developments that did not disclose the location of the event in the headline.
Conspiracy theory claiming that Tupac is alive and that he took these photos with current singers like Beyonce and Rihanna.
Fraud with fake profile pictures, where it is claimed through a status that she is suffering from an illness and, as a result, she has decided to distribute her wealth.
disinformation
Several Facebook pages have published an old article (December 2020) about the restrictions on movement in Switzerland due to the coronavirus. These Facebook pages have tried to present this article as current. (here)
Several Albanian-language media outlets have published an article with a fabricated headline claiming that the German national team has signed the Albanian-born footballer, Mërgim Berisha. However, after research conducted through online search engines, hibrid.info has confirmed that Germany coach Hansi Flick has not yet invited Berisha to be part of this national team, but that his name has been mentioned by the German media outlet “Express.de” as one of the five candidates who could receive an invitation from this national team. (here)
The Facebook page “Atdheu Lajm” has published an article with a fabricated title claiming “Germany needs 400 thousand workers, here are the conditions required”. The content states that 400 thousand workers are needed per year to fill the gaps in the labor market. Therefore, no conditions are presented regarding the filling of these job positions. (here)
The dubious portal “themedianews.co” has published an article taken from “indeksonline.net” that has to do with the continuation of the television show “Big Brother Vip Albania” until mid-May. However, the dubious portal has given this article a false title claiming that this show is about to end. (here)
The dubious portal "fakti.viralnews40.com" has published an old article trying to present it as current. The article was about an accident on June 2, 2022 on the Elbasan-Metalurgji road, where an elderly man was injured. (here)
Several Serbian-language media outlets have published an article claiming that two young men were beaten in the village of Jashanicë near Leposaviq by members of the Kosovo Police Special Unit, ROSU. Through a Facebook post, the Kosovo Police announced that it has been confirmed that such a case is not the one reported to the Kosovo Police. (here)
Several Facebook pages published an article yesterday (March 10) titled “Two new 6.4 magnitude earthquakes in Turkey, deaths reported, hundreds injured”. Hibrid.info has verified the facts presented in this article, where it has been confirmed that the news is old and relates to the February 20 earthquakes that hit the southern province of Hatay in Turkey. (here)
Several Serbian-language media outlets have published the reaction of the parents of two young Serbs who were allegedly beaten by Kosovo Police special units. The parents claim that EULEX has also been involved as much as possible in the case, stating that “it is clear as day that they were brutally beaten”. EULEX has denied the claim that its staff concluded that the two young Serbs were beaten by Kosovo Police, claims made by the parents of the two young men. The Kosovo Police has also denied the claim that the two young men were beaten/ill-treated by Kosovo Police special units in the village of Jashanicë/Jashanicë, Leposavic. (here)
Clickbait
The information portal “Kosova-sot.info” has published an article regarding attacks on police officers with Molotov cocktails and the destruction of businesses in the center. However, the title does not clarify where the event took place. The news is clarified in the content, which states that there were tensions during the protest in the center of Athens for the tragedy that occurred on Tuesday near Larissa, where at least 57 people, including 6 Albanians, lost their lives as a result of the train collision. (here)
The information portal “Kosova-sot.info” has published an article regarding the cancellation of the diploma of the director of the University Clinical Center of Sarajevo. However, the title does not clarify in which country the event took place. The news is clarified only in the content, which states that “on March 6, the Senate of the University of Sarajevo canceled the master's degree in medical sciences of Sebija Izetbegović, director of the University Clinical Center of Sarajevo”. (here)
The Facebook page “Pamfleti.com” has published an article titled “Kosovo is not built by protecting personal interests but by putting itself at the service of the state!” and with illustrative photographs of the Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, implying that this statement was made by him. After verification of the facts carried out by hibrid.info, it was found that the statement was made by actor Çun Lajçi in a post of his on Facebook. (here)
The “Specialja” Facebook page has published an old statement (January 4) by meteorologist Sylë Tahirsylaj, who at the time had warned that temperatures would drop next week. This page has tried to present this old statement as current, and based on the comments of readers, it is seen that some of them have fallen prey to this old news. (here)
Conspiracy theory
The TikTok account “bejevete” has published a video claiming that Tupac is alive. This account has also published the video on the “Bejevet” channel on YouTube and through several edited photos claims that Tupac is alive and that he took these photos with current singers such as Beyonce and Rihanna. (here)
Lies
A Facebook account with the name “Sabine Mueller” that has a woman in its profile picture claims through a status that she is suffering from an illness and, as a result, she has decided to distribute her wealth worth 750 thousand euros. Hibrid.info, after verifying the facts, has confirmed that the account (user) is registered under the name “Ibrahim Haxhiu”. After researching through the social media Facebook, another account was found with the name “Ibrahim Haxhiu”, who has announced that his previous account has been hacked by unknown persons who are deceiving him by asking for money. (here)
A Facebook page called “Donation” has published a post with a photo of an elderly woman, claiming to build a fabricated story that she has decided to give away her wealth, since she suffers from an illness. From the process of checking the facts and treating them, it was understood that the claim made in this post is completely fabricated. So this claim is a fictional story based on several false facts. The photo of the elderly woman was seen to have been taken from an online image purchasing platform, while the health document was seen to have been issued by the authorities of Tajikistan, specifically the capital Dushanbe. (here)
A Facebook account named “Nørå Lå Qüëën” has published a post with a photo of a woman, claiming to build a fabricated story, allegedly that the person seen in this image is Kimete Nikqi from Kosovo, who has decided to share her wealth, since she suffers from an illness. So this post made by the “Nørå Lå Qüëën” Facebook account is a fictional story based on fake photos. The photo of the elderly woman was found in the results provided by the search engine “Bing”, which displays her under the name “Sabrina Fernandez” on the social media Facebook. (here)