"Stories and experiences to sail towards the truth."

Nada's story:
During the war, living in a house with 16 people meant 16 phones and many WhatsApp and Telegram groups. Everyone was overwhelmed with conflicting news that caused constant stress and anxiety. Without a TV to watch trusted news channels, we relied on someone reading the news to us during family gatherings at night. Verifying the truth of the reports was difficult, especially when the same news appeared in multiple groups, making it hard to know what was accurate. The experience of depending on unreliable WhatsApp news without access to TV was very challenging and stressful.

Suzana's story:
As an expatriate during the war, I faced a lot of emotional hardship due to the widespread fake news circulating on WhatsApp. Even though I was far from the conflict and safe, the distance from my family and loved ones made everything much harder. False, exaggerated, and sometimes completely fabricated news caused me great anxiety and confusion. It was painful not knowing what to believe or how to protect those I care about. Many groups distorted facts, increasing fear and tension, and this constant flood of misinformation doubled my stress and left me feeling helpless. The experience was emotionally exhausting and deeply affected my sense of safety and peace of mind.

Ibtisam's story:
Two days before the ceasefire seventeen of us including grandparents were at home when neighbors urgently knocked telling us to evacuate because of a WhatsApp voice message warning of an attack. I remember carrying my little brother through icy snowy conditions as we fled to a nearby area. Although we briefly returned home the false warning spread quickly causing widespread panic and forcing us to leave again. The fear and confusion were overwhelming especially knowing safety was so close. We spent two nights on edge scared of what might happen even though we suspected the news was false. It was a deeply frightening and uncertain experience.

Fatima's story:
We found out about the news through my aunt, who saw it on Facebook or in a WhatsApp group. At first, she didn’t believe it because the authorities hadn’t informed us yet. She called my other aunt, asking if it was true and what was going on. None of us had any information at that point. My aunt was shocked that no one had told us anything. My father was martyred in Syria, which was unexpected since the situation there was thought to be safe. My aunt started screaming when she found out, which made my mom come downstairs to ask what was happening, as my grandparents live below us. My aunt said she wasn’t sure what had happened to Ali, that he might be martyred or injured, but nothing was confirmed yet. A little later, the mayor and some officials came and delivered the news, and that’s when my parents realized the truth.

At the time, I wasn’t home, I was at the institute in class. Suddenly, a woman from our village, someone much older who never contacts me, called me. I stepped out to answer, and she asked if my father was at work. I was confused by the question and told her he was. Then she said it seemed like I didn’t know the news, but that my parents would tell me later. A while later, my brother called asking if I had any pictures of my dad to send him. When I asked why, he said nothing was wrong, he just wanted them. I tried calling my family, and although they answered, they didn’t tell me anything clearly, just that there was news but it wasn’t confirmed.

Then I checked a group chat for work and saw that my manager had posted a condolence message. My teachers at the institute didn’t want me to find out through my phone and tried to take it from me so I wouldn’t see anything upsetting. But I saw the news on the group, and soon after, people started posting pictures and stories. It wasn’t just the news itself, but how we found out that was really hard. It felt like a race, everyone trying to share the news first. We eventually saw the obituary announcement, and the way we found out was just really painful and sudden.

What is Batoul's story — the one that carries so much pain?