China is take a tough stance on people spreading unverified “ rumors ” about the coronavirus outbreak on social media . A number of other government are also fight back back against misinformation with arrests , fines , and " fake news laws . "
WeChat , a wide used Chinese messaging service of process similar to Whatsapp , announcedon January 25 that anyone portion out “ false data ” on their app could look three to seven years in jail . Other app - user happen diffuse “ hearsay - like information ” could face their bill being for good stymy or have certain functions limit .
Even before this announcement , some Chinese citizen landed themselves in trouble for sharing information about the computer virus through the internet . On January 1 , law in Wuhan arrested at least eight masses for " spread out hearsay ” about the coronavirus , Chinese state tabloidThe Global Timesreported . It waslater revealedthatat least one of these individuals was a Doctor of the Church in Wuhan who utter about the eruption through a messaging app .
Last calendar week , China Digital Times , a US - base news internet site cover China , leak out “ security review instructions ” reportedly get off to the country ’s media from the Formosan government authorities . The instruction say media outlet to stop republishing any commentary on an clause published in Sanlian Life Week call “ How will China ’s thriftiness be Impacted if the WHO Gets Involved With the Coronavirus Epidemic ? ”
Meanwhile , the viral outbreakcontinues to grow . As of February 4 , there are at least 20,701confirmed casesof the novel coronavirus ( 2019 - nCoV ) across the world , around 20,500 of which are in mainland China . There have also been over 427 death , all but two in mainland China , surpassing the number of mass that die in mainland China during the SARS irruption ( 349 expiry ) .
Many other countries in Asia are taking a likewise hardline approach , with Malaysia , India , Thailand , Indonesia , and Hong Kong get at least 16 mass over social media posts about the coronavirus , reportsReuters . Singapore has also used its controversial fresh POFMA " fake news jurisprudence " to force media outlets into commit government warnings on their articles about the outbreak enjoin it may arrest false information .
Misinformation can diffuse fast in the panic of an epidemic . In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak , social media in North America and Europe has seen a lot of dangerous misinformation andconspiracy theories , along with a fair amount ofracist calumny . One widely partake rumoreven suggesteddrinking whitener to “ bring around ” coronavirus infections .
As a answer of this wider situation , Facebook hasannouncedthey will delete posts with false claims or conspiracy theories about the coronavirus eruption that have been flagged by health authorities . Twitter has also taken a viewpoint . If searching for coronavirus on Twitter , the first thing you ’ll see is a “ Know The Facts ” Browning automatic rifle that directs users to the prescribed page of national wellness authorities .
The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has also ramped up its efforts to combat misinformation with the hashtag # KnowtheFacts . As one example , a Twitter postfrom the WHO dispels the false title that eating sesame oil or ail can prevent the coronavirus from septic people .
