Coronavirus: Indian tweeps sign online petition to delete WhatsApp from Amitabh Bachchan and Anand Mahindra's phones
Both Bachchan and Mahindra were recently called out for their misleading COVID-19 tweets
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An online petition, requesting for WhatsApp messenger to be uninstalled from Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan and business tycoon Anand Mahindra's phones, is being widely shared on Twitter in India. The petition that was filed on Monday on change.org, had tweeps discussing how both of them shared WhatsApp-fed fake misinformation with their 41.6 million and 7.7 million Twitter followers respectively.
Hashtag #UninstallWhatsApp was seen trending on Twitter in India this week.
Twitter and change.org user, Rofl Gandhi, started this petition directed at Founder and CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg. The WhatsApp messenger is also owned by Facebook.
The petition read: “A megastar and a renowned industrialist are falling prey to fake news & bizarre content being fed to them via Whatsapp. We need to restore the dignity of two gentlemen. Through this petition we are requesting Mark Zuckerberg to disable Whatsapp on their numbers.”
Both Bachchan and Mahindra recently landed in trouble after tweeting misleading and superstitious messages on Twitter. Both of the tweets were later deleted.
Amitabh Bachchan, an active Twitter user, has reportedly been called out several times for sharing misinformation. Earlier this month, the 77-year-old superstar was criticised for retweeting a post that falsely showed an illuminated India on the world map.
Last month, he was also reportedly called out for a tweet which claimed that the vibrations from clapping and blowing conch shells (as part of the Janata curfew) would destroy coronavirus' potency.
Meanwhile, businessman Anand Mahindra was recently criticised for sharing a photo that showed two people using green leaves to cover their faces amid the ongoing pandemic. Netizens were quick to point out how the said picture was insensitive, following which he deleted it.
Nearly 3,000 people have signed the petition. One of the signees, Rahul Sharma wrote: “Yeah they treat WhatsApp’s as their single source of truth! Spread misinformation and do a lot a harm. This menace should be stopped immediately.”
And, Deb Nandy posted: “I am signing this petition because a megastar and a famous industrialist are falling prey to fake news and bizarre content that they are probably getting through WhatsApp.”
The Bollywood star and the businessman have not responded to the petition so far.
