As misinformation, fake news and rumours sweeping across the social media threaten to put spanners in India’s fight against COVID-19, Government has pressed its various including Press Information Bureau to counter the menace, which asked people to be beware of click baits in the garb of information on coronavirus.
Fake messages doing the rounds on social media have a wide range from prescribing cabbage, garlic therapy to control coronavirus to Government purportedly ordering internet shut down, salaries and pension cut for government employee and bank closures.
Some have even suggested hot bath therapy, while other enterprising ones have gone for advocating alcohol spray on the whole body.
Last week technology giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google and YouTube, Microsoft and LinkedIn issued a joint statement resolving to fight the menace of fake news over the coronavirus pandemic.
Soon after a rumour began doing the rounds on social media asserting that internet services have been shut down amidst Coronavirus outbreak, PIB Fact Check on Friday stepped in rejecting the message as “fake” and making it clear that no such announcement has been made by the government and asked everyone to check the authenticity of message before forwarding the same.
The PIB Fact Check earlier also advised people not to fall for the rumours related to the closure of bank branches. The Department of Finance Services (DFS) also put out a tweet asking people not to believe in rumours of branch closure asserting that Customer Service Branches are committed for necessary service during Lockdown 21. Secretary Department of Financial Services Debasish Panda further assured that there is sufficient cash across branches and ATMs, asking people not to trust rumours of branch closures.
There has also been a rumour that the Government of India has announced a cut in the salaries and pensions of the government staff, which the government was quick to deny.
As it came to light that many malware are also circulating in the name of coronavirus, Government cautioned people against telling them not to fall for attempts by fraudsters to steal confidential data on phones and computers.
There are various messages floating on social media, claiming as advisories from UNICEF, Health Ministry, Ayush and from anonymous doctors prescribing weird treatments.
A message went around quoting a purported report WHO forbidding people to eat cabbage and claimed that the vegetable was ensuring the maximum stay of the virus in the body. After fact-checking, the central government put out a tweet saying no such report of WHO has come and asked people to not to be misled by such rumours
Amid rumours about the spread of coronavirus due to consumption of poultry products, PIB Fact Check carried out voting on the issue to deny it while it resorted to question-answer format to counter the fake news spreading on social media that drinking gourd juice can cure Coronavirus infection. “No. Drinking bitter gourd juice cannot cure coronavirus infection,” it posted.
Earlier an audio clip went viral on social media claiming that Nagpur has tested 59 positive Coronavirus cases including three doctors. On fact-checking the assertion made in the audio was found to be fake and the government put out a stern message not to forward such fake audio clips.
The PIB in Maharashtra also sought to dispel fake news like the Coronavirus will be killed during the upcoming Summer or having a bath with hot water will kill it. It also made it clear that what garlic is healthy food, it is no protection against Coronavirus.