On March 10, when the Election Commission of India announced the dates for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, it made it clear that the model code of conduct would apply to social media content posted by political parties. Internet giants including Facebook, Twitter and Google have been instructed to take immediate action against fake news and hate speeches on their platforms. Over half a billion Indians, after all, now have access to the Internet, which holds sway over them in more ways than they can imagine.

After the announcement, though, concerns were raised about the success of the EC's crackdown. While the code of conduct applies to official social media accounts of political parties, it does not apply to the countless fan pages and affiliate handles that continue to multiply exponentially as you read this article. The worldwide web was built essentially to disseminate information. That it has two evil siblings — misinformation and disinformation — is a phenomenon playing out dangerously in the form of fake news; one that prompts your erudite relative to hit 'forward' on a doctored WhatsApp message, and a mob to take to lynching. What is fake news? How does it travel? Why do people fall for it? Can it be stopped? We spoke to social media experts, a cyber crime specialist, and psychologist for answers.