Fake news has been spreading faster than usual as people spend most of their time on their phones during this lockdown.
From conspiracies to memes social media is flooded with posts that end up in most people’s smart devices.
At the long weekend, one of the posts ended up on the news for the spreading of fake news about alcohol going on sale again during the lockdown.
While the posts may be talking points for many, people need to be aware of the implications of sharing fake news on social media.
The government has stipulated that anyone that creates or spreads fake news about the Coronavirus is liable for prosecution. Every person is required to verify the information before they share it.
Thabiso Moloi, Digital and Social Lead at ByDesign Communications said people needed to be especially careful with the information they cared to share during this coivd19.
“It is a global problem. We have been warned that social accounts are now spreading fear and fake news. The exact scale of misinformation is difficult to measure. In some cases these fake accounts closely resemble legitimate accounts from trusted sources and that is part of the problem. In many cases social media bots are responding to legitimate accounts as a way to discredit them. So it isn’t just misinformation but fake accounts that are making actual commentary.”
He said when people then overshared the information as by retweeting and forwarding it became a bigger problem.
“Even something as simple as liking or posting a story they find ‘useful’. It is difficult for people to know which sources are credible and which ones aren’t. But people have to now check to see if they are reading trusted sources and do follow up research. If only one news outlet is reporting something that seems like huge news, that should be a red flag. If a post references a trusted authority, check on the respective websites for that information to make certain. People should not take one person’s word for it, they have to dig further.”
Moloi said people latched onto the fake news about alcohol being sold because it was a trending topic.
“Governments around the world are taking this fake news spreading very seriously and will go to the extent of charging people for spreading fake news. There will be tools and algorithms focused on people who are spreading fake news. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter are working to stamp it out.”
Moloi warned that people should not take information at face value.
“Before you like, comment or do anything on social media around huge news, just make sure you take a moment and check other credible sources. Just give yourself a few minutes and wait it out, when breaking news breaks other news sites and sources will have the story.”
Last week Whatsapp sent out a statement on keeping information private and personal.
“Last year we introduced users to the concept of messages that have been forwarded many times. In effect, these messages are less personal compared to typical messages sent on WhatsApp. We are now introducing a limit so that these messages can only be forwarded to one chat at a time.”
The statement added that the intent of Whatsapp was to keep conversations intimate.
“Is all forwarding bad? Certainly not. We know many users forward helpful information, as well as funny videos, memes, and reflections or prayers they find meaningful. In recent weeks, people have also used WhatsApp to organise public moments of support for frontline health workers. However, we’ve seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation. We believe it’s important to slow the spread of these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.”
With just over two weeks to go before the end of the lockdown, people should take heed now, before they end up in a different type of lockdown behind bars.