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How a viral rumour on WhatsApp led to the lynching of two innocent men in Mexico. Ricardo Flores and his uncle Alberto were building a well. They set out to buy some supplies, but as it was a warm August day, they decided to take a break along the way. Within hours they were arrested and lynched – beaten and burnt to death by a ferocious mob. Rumours which spread on WhatsApp falsely accused the men of being child kidnappers. And before anyone could stop the residents of Acatlan, a small town in Mexico, a tragedy unfolded – the repercussions of which continue to be felt today. For the Beyond Fake News season on the BBC World Service, Marcos Martinez went to Acatlan to investigate. Presenter: Mike Wendling Reporter: Marcos Martinez Producer: Reha Kansara Studio Manager: Graham Puddifoot Photo Caption: A photo of Ricardo Flores, one of the men who was killed. Photo Credit: BBC

Hundreds of suicides were linked to the Blue Whale Challenge – but what is the truth behind the claims? The challenge was described as an online game, where participants were given 50 tasks to perform over 50 days. A report in independent Russian news outlet Novaya Gazeta linked the game to 130 teenage suicides, and a 21-year-old man who was arrested in a case related to the challenge pleaded guilty and is currently in a Russian prison. But others are sceptical that the challenge can definitively be blamed for the tragedies. And in a twist, researchers say the game may not have even existed before the initial media reports. Presenter: Mike Wendling Reporter: Ant Adeane (Photo: A blue plastic toy whale. Credit: Getty Images)

The conclusion of our story about two men on opposing sides in the war against misinformation. Fake news writer Christopher Blair finds that the money is drying up because of Facebook algorithm changes, and he’s constantly being hunted by fact-checkers. Meanwhile in Belgium, Maarten Schenk gets a handle on viral misinformation and online lies. It seems like they would be natural enemies. So what happens when they get the chance to speak to each other? Presenter: Michael Wendling Reporter/Producer: Anisa Subedar Photo Caption: Fake News v Facts on a computer keyboard Photo Credit: Getty Images

Anisa Subedar meets two men positioned on opposing sides in the war against fake news. American Christopher Blair makes his living by making up online news stories, and Belgian Maarten Schenk is dedicated to debunking them. The two appear to be natural rivals, but is everything as it first seems? Presenter: Michael Wendling Reporter: Anisa Subedar (Photo: Fake News headline typed with a typewriter. Credit: Getty Images)

A protest against “manspreading” went viral in Russia – but is it Russian propaganda? Activist Anna Dovgalyuk denies that she staged a stunt where a woman was filmed throwing diluted bleach at the crotches of men whose legs were sprawled out over multiple seats on the St Petersburg Metro. But media reports suggested one of the men was an actor, and a European Union website has described the film as “staged Kremlin propaganda”. So, is it real or just a hoax? And how does it fit into a larger pattern of Russian social media bots and trolls stoking culture wars online? Reporter: Marco Silva Producer: Anisa Subedar (Photo: Screenshot from the ‘manspreading’ video that went viral in Russia. Credit: Anna Dovgalyuk)