Dheeshma

Dheeshma Puzhakkal heads the fact check team at NewsMeter. Commencing her career as a tech writer in 2018, she transitioned into journalism in 2019 as a multimedia journalist with NewsMeter. In 2020, she joined India Today, where she advanced to the position of Principal Correspondent within the organisation's fact check team. Dheeshma specialises in analysing maps and satellite imagery, and gathering open-source intelligence for investigative journalism. Her reporting extends across diverse domains, including health, consumer affairs, data, politics, and law enforcement agencies. Throughout her career, Dheeshma has proven herself as a seasoned fact-checker, delving into misinformation surrounding various topics, including elections, cross-border conflicts, and communalism. Her contributions have earned recognition, with Members of Parliament, ministers, and embassies acknowledging and sharing her findings.

    Dheeshma

    OSINT Monthly Update: AI Images in Pahalgam, GPS Spoofing, and New Resources
    OSINT Monthly Update: AI Images in Pahalgam, GPS Spoofing, and New Resources

    April month’s OSINT update begins with the alarming role of synthetic media in the aftermath of the April 22 massacre in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir,...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 30 April 2025 6:21 PM IST


    Images claiming to show the aftermath of the terror attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, are viral on social media.
    Fact Check: Pahalgam terror attack images show deadly aftermath in Baisaran Valley? No, these images are AI-generated

    Images claiming to show the aftermath of the terror attack in Baisaran Valley, Pahalgam, are viral on social media.

    By M Ramesh Naik  Published on 23 April 2025 3:53 PM IST


    Fact Check: Indian Army retaliates against Pakistan after Pahalgam terror attack? No, video is from 2020
    Fact Check: Indian Army retaliates against Pakistan after Pahalgam terror attack? No, video is from 2020

    A video of artillery shelling has been circulating on social media, claiming it shows retaliation by the Indian Army against Pakistan following the...

    By Md Mahfooz Alam  Published on 23 April 2025 3:45 PM IST


    OSINT & Fact-Checking in March: Key Developments & Challenges
    OSINT & Fact-Checking in March: Key Developments & Challenges

    This month has been a whirlwind for open-source intelligence (OSINT) and fact-checking, with AI playing an increasingly complex role in both spreading...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 31 March 2025 9:02 PM IST


    What is anorexia nervosa that caused death of Kerala’s water fasting teen?
    What is anorexia nervosa that caused death of Kerala’s water fasting teen?

    This case highlights the growing concern around eating disorders in India and the need for better awareness and intervention

    By Dheeshma  Published on 12 March 2025 3:00 PM IST


    Fact Check: Pakistani minister assaults couple on camera? Here’s what happened
    Fact Check: Pakistani minister assaults couple on camera? Here’s what happened

    A video has been circulating with the claim that Pakistan’s Punjab education minister, Rana Sikandar Hayat, sexually assaulted a woman and her partner...

    By Md Mahfooz Alam  Published on 4 March 2025 3:36 PM IST


    Monthly OSINT & AI Update – Breaking Down February’s Most Intriguing Cases
    Monthly OSINT & AI Update – Breaking Down February’s Most Intriguing Cases

    Staying ahead in OSINT means constantly experimenting with tools, but many promising ones are either locked behind paywalls or unavailable in India....

    By Dheeshma  Published on 28 Feb 2025 9:29 PM IST


    Community Notes Can’t Stand Without Fact-Checkers, Says Research — So, Are Big Tech Platforms Taking Advantage?
    Community Notes Can’t Stand Without Fact-Checkers, Says Research — So, Are Big Tech Platforms Taking Advantage?

    A recent study by Maldita.es reveals that fact-checking organisations are the third most referenced sources globally in Community Notes on X,

    By Dheeshma  Published on 19 Feb 2025 6:06 PM IST


    The viral video which claims to show BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Negi questioning vendors about their religion after the Delhi election victory is viral on social media
    Fact Check: BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Negi warns Muslim traders after Delhi polls? Here’s the truth

    The viral video which claims to show BJP MLA Ravinder Singh Negi questioning vendors about their religion after the Delhi election victory is viral on...

    By M Ramesh Naik  Published on 17 Feb 2025 8:50 AM IST


    OSINT Monthly: Key Developments in Fact-Checking and Open-Source Intelligence
    OSINT Monthly: Key Developments in Fact-Checking and Open-Source Intelligence

    Hello OSINT enthusiasts,January has been an eventful month in the world of open-source intelligence and fact-checking. From Meta’s shifting stance on...

    By Dheeshma  Published on 1 Feb 2025 2:30 PM IST


    Chinas AI Race: DeepSeeks Rise and What It Means for the Future of Information
    China's AI Race: DeepSeek's Rise and What It Means for the Future of Information

    DeepSeek’s rise is not just challenging Western AI giants—it is also intensifying competition within China.

    By Dheeshma  Published on 31 Jan 2025 11:48 PM IST


    Fact Check: ą²…ą²®ą³ƒą²¤ą²øą²°ą²¦ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ą²…ą²‚ą²¬ą³‡ą²”ą³ą²•ą²°ą³ ą²Ŗą³ą²°ą²¤ą²æą²®ą³† ಒಔೆದ ą²µą³ą²Æą²•ą³ą²¤ą²æą²—ą³† ą²Øą³ą²Æą²¾ą²Æą²¾ą²²ą²Æą²¦ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ಄ಳಿತ?, ą²‡ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ಈ ą²µą³€ą²”ą²æą²Æą³Š ą²°ą²¾ą²Æą³ą²Ŗą³ą²°ą²¦ą³ą²¦ą³
    Fact Check: ą²…ą²®ą³ƒą²¤ą²øą²°ą²¦ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ą²…ą²‚ą²¬ą³‡ą²”ą³ą²•ą²°ą³ ą²Ŗą³ą²°ą²¤ą²æą²®ą³† ಒಔೆದ ą²µą³ą²Æą²•ą³ą²¤ą²æą²—ą³† ą²Øą³ą²Æą²¾ą²Æą²¾ą²²ą²Æą²¦ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ಄ಳಿತ?, ą²‡ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ಈ ą²µą³€ą²”ą²æą²Æą³Š ą²°ą²¾ą²Æą³ą²Ŗą³ą²°ą²¦ą³ą²¦ą³

    ą²µą³€ą²”ą²æą²Æą³Š ಒಂದು ą²µą³ˆą²°ą²²ą³ ą²†ą²—ą³ą²¤ą³ą²¤ą²æą²¦ą³†. ą²‡ą²¦ą²°ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ವಕೀಲರು ą²Øą³ą²Æą²¾ą²Æą²¾ą²²ą²Æą²¦ ą²†ą²µą²°ą²£ą²¦ą²²ą³ą²²ą²æ ą²Ŗą³Šą²²ą³€ą²øą²° ą²Žą²¦ą³ą²°ą³‡ ą²µą³ą²Æą²•ą³ą²¤ą²æą²Æą²Øą³ą²Øą³ ą²„ą²³ą²æą²øą³ą²¤ą³ą²¤ą²æą²°ą³ą²µą³ą²¦ą³ ಕಾಣಬಹುದು. ą²…ą²‚ą²¬ą³‡ą²”ą³ą²•ą²°ą³ ಅವರ ą²Ŗą³ą²°ą²¤ą²æą²®ą³†ą²Æą²Øą³ą²Øą³...

    By Vinay Bhat  Published on 30 Jan 2025 11:18 AM IST


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