Think You Can Spot Fake News? A New Kochi Exhibit Wants To Make You Think Twice

Did you hear that Amitabh Bachchan backed Kamala Harris for President on Twitter last week? What about the team of researchers in Sweden who discovered a way to prevent ageing? And that Starbucks has actually been using whole milk for orders that request almond mylk? (Scandalous!) Was any of this real?

If you hesitated or second-guessed yourself, you’re not alone. In today’s world, distinguishing between fact and fiction is harder than ever. Headlines are designed to grab your attention, but not always with the truth. Social media spreads misinformation at the speed of a swipe, making it increasingly difficult to tell what’s real and what’s carefully crafted manipulation.

That’s exactly what The Glass Room: Misinformation Edition, at Kochi’s TinkerSpace from October 5 to 12, seeks to tackle. At the heart of this installation lies an important question: How do we, as individuals, contribute to the normalization of false narratives? You will come face-to-face with the insidious ways social media platforms and algorithms subtly nudge our attention, making us unwitting participants in the spread of unreliable information.

With resources available in both Malayalam and English, this is a localized edition that aims to engage all members of the community. It’s a hands-on, eye-opening experience, pulling back the curtain on the digital tricks used to confuse us.

Over the past decade, as India’s internet penetration has skyrocketed, so too has the spread of misinformation. The Glass Room answers this need by unpacking the mechanics of misinformation: from psychological tricks to keep us hooked, to business models profiting from our data. The exhibition also takes a look at the powerful gatekeepers of information — tech giants like Google and Facebook — and their role in shaping public discourse.

But it’s not all doom and gloom. The exhibition equips you with tools to combat misinformation. From understanding deepfakes to recognizing biased algorithms, you leave armed with actionable knowledge.

Attending The Glass Room isn’t just about browsing posters and reading facts — it’s about engaging in a deeper conversation about how we can safeguard the integrity of information. Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a student, or simply a digital citizen, make your way to TinkerSpace. It’s a chance to not only reflect on our online interactions, but to actively shape how we engage.

Originally launched in Berlin and having traveled to major cities like London, New York, and San Francisco, The Glass Room has reached more than 350,000 people across 61 countries. The exhibition is curated by Tactical Tech, an international nonprofit.

TinkerSpace, by TinkerHub Foundation, is a maker-hackerspace for tech collaboration and innovation.

The Internet Freedom Foundation is an award-winning digital rights organisation to protect democratic freedoms in the digital age.

Check it out here.

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