COVID-19: Public urged not to spread fake news
While South Africans are currently locked down in their homes, with smartphones being one of the ways to access information, lots of fake news have been spreading with false claims about the coronavirus. Despite stern warnings by police minister Bheki Cele against spreading lies on social media about COVID-19 the trend seems to continue. The …
While South Africans are currently locked down in their homes, with smartphones being one of the ways to access information, lots of fake news have been spreading with false claims about the coronavirus.
Despite stern warnings by police minister Bheki Cele against spreading lies on social media about COVID-19 the trend seems to continue.
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) has gazetted regulations that grant the government powers to act against those who deliberately endanger themselves and others during the lockdown or spread fake new about the coronavirus.
To report fake news you can send an email to fakenewsalert@dtps.gov.za or send a WhatsApp to 067 966 4015. When reporting fake news you should include the social media post, artile or document deemed to be fake news and a link to where the post, article or document is located.
Fake news includes:
- Disinformation: Information that is false and deliberately created to harm a person, social group, organization or country for the purposes to influence public opinion or obscure the truth.
- Misinformation: Information that is false but not created to cause harm or misleading readers.
- Mal-Information: Deliberate publication of private information for personal or private interest, as well as the deliberate manipulation of genuine content.
To keep up with developments regarding the COVID-19 situation visit https://sacoronavirus.co.za/ or send a WhatsApp to the official South African government COVID-19 WhatsApp group on 060 012 3456.
