Viral Video of “188-Year-Old Man” Debunked
As the video gained momentum online, X, the social media platform, issued a disclaimer on the post, stating that the age mentioned in the caption was not accurate. "Misinformation! The elderly man is a Hindu Saint named 'Siyaram Baba' who lives in Madhya Pradesh, India. According to reports, he is about 110 years old," read the platform’s note in response to the post.
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New Delhi : A video claiming to show an “188-year-old man” rescued from a cave near Bengaluru has gone viral on social media, sparking widespread interest and debate. Shared by a handle called ‘Concerned Citizen’ on X (formerly Twitter), the 24-second clip shows an elderly man being helped to walk by two others. With a hunchback and a white beard, the man is also seen using a walking stick for support. The caption accompanying the post read, “This Indian man has just been found in a cave. It’s alleged he’s 188 years old. Insane.” The video quickly garnered nearly 29 million views.
Despite its viral nature, the claim about the man’s age was almost immediately questioned by various fact-checking agencies and media outlets. Several reports, including from reputable sources, identified the elderly man in the video as Siyaram Baba, a well-known Hindu saint from the Khargone district in Madhya Pradesh, India, who is actually around 110 years old.
Fact-Checking and Scrutiny
As the video gained momentum online, X, the social media platform, issued a disclaimer on the post, stating that the age mentioned in the caption was not accurate. “Misinformation! The elderly man is a Hindu Saint named ‘Siyaram Baba’ who lives in Madhya Pradesh, India. According to reports, he is about 110 years old,” read the platform’s note in response to the post.
The origin of the claim remains unclear, but fact-checkers, including the data verification group D-Intent Data, stepped in to clarify the misinformation. D-Intent Data posted an analysis on X, labeling the video as misleading. “ANALYSIS: Misleading. FACT: A video of some people helping an elderly individual has been shared, claiming that a 188-year-old Indian Man has just been found in a cave. The fact is that these claims are not true. The elderly man is a Saint named ‘Siyaram Baba,’ who lives in Madhya Pradesh, India,” their post clarified.
Additionally, an article published by Navbharat Times on July 2, 2024, further confirmed the true identity of the elderly man. The report indicated that Siyaram Baba is a respected saint in his region and has been widely known for decades. His actual age, as stated in the article, is 109, not 188 as suggested by the viral video.
The Spread of Misinformation
The rapid spread of the video highlights the challenges of misinformation in the digital age. The video’s sensational nature, combined with the unverifiable claim of a man being 188 years old, quickly attracted attention, gaining millions of views within hours. However, this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of verifying information before sharing it.
Misinformation can often spread unchecked, especially on platforms where user-generated content is the primary source of information. In this case, the misleading video could have easily perpetuated false claims about the man’s age if it hadn’t been fact-checked by independent sources and flagged by the platform itself.
The involvement of fact-checking agencies like D-Intent Data and media outlets like Navbharat Times played a crucial role in preventing the misinformation from spreading further. Their quick response provided clarity to the millions of viewers who had seen the video and were potentially misled by its sensational claims.
Social Media Responsibility
Incidents like this underline the responsibility of social media platforms and users in curbing the spread of misinformation. Platforms like X have mechanisms to flag questionable content, as demonstrated in this case. However, it also calls for more vigilance among users to critically evaluate the information they consume and share.
False claims about individuals, especially those who are elderly or vulnerable, can have real-world consequences, from damaging reputations to inciting public confusion. While the video of Siyaram Baba may have gone viral for its shock value, it ultimately serves as a case study in how misinformation can spiral out of control.
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