Unfortunately, when something big like the COVID-19 pandemic happens, there are always people out there who will use the opportunity to spread fear and panic.

Lists of ludicrous self tests have been doing the rounds, along with an odd collection of symptoms to look out for.

Other fake news includes helicopters sanitising cities (this is impossible), China killing thousands of people to prevent the spread of the virus (this would never happen) and the bizarre idea that gargling lemon water and then swallowing it will move the virus into your gut, following which you will poop it out.

I wish that last one was a joke, but people have been sharing this nonsense via WhatsApp.

By the time false information finds its way into your social media feed or WhatsApp group, you probably aren’t even seeing the original post. It commonly starts as a website or organisation posing as a legitimate news source, then numerous other sites and people republish it with similar wording.

It’s more important than ever to verify the information that you’re reading and distributing. If you don’t, you could be looking at a fine, jail time or both, reports IOL.

On Sunday President Cyril Ramaphosa declared the coronavirus outbreak a national disaster, clearing the way for a raft of new regulations to be gazetted, including the criminalisation of dissemination of fake news about Covid-19.

If you think that this law only applies to the people creating the fake content, you’d be wrong.

Any person who publishes any statement, through any medium, including social media, with the intention to deceive any other person about: Covid-19; Covid-19 infection status of any person; or any measure taken by the government to address Covid-19, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both such fine and imprisonment.

What this means is that ordinary South Africans, sending a fake report or sharing fake news on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or any other social media platform, could be in danger of prosecution.

If this seems harsh, consider the implications of spreading information like that stupid lemon-water-gargling rubbish that we mentioned earlier.

This law is necessary to protect the most vulnerable in the country, along with those who have the virus and might be duped into taking measures that could endanger themselves or others.

If you want accurate information about the spread of the virus, there are resources out there approved by the World Health Organisation.

Stick to legitimate news sites and do your due diligence when confronted with information, and you should be fine.

[source:iol]