OPINION
That’s the main focus right now and that is where we in the media are to focus also in delivering the right information to the public. We will work together on this.
Pandemic versus infodemic
By Michael M. Medina
Chief Editor, The Philippine Preview
This Covid-19 crisis we are facing is indeed a challenge to find the accurate and reliable information to ward off the other kind of widespread epidemic involving fake news, misinformation and deliberate and obvious exaggeration of the coronavirus issue.
Because of the difficult, painful situation, many people have become adept in believing sensational headlines and bogus science stories with little time to investigate properly.
Just recently, President Rodrigo Duterte approved the law that will grant him emergency powers to solve the COVID-19 crisis in the country. One particular provision included a two-month jail sentence or a fine of ₱10,000 to ₱1 million for anyone who will create or spread false information about the crisis.
There goes the problem, not everyone has been trained how to properly evaluate evidence, interpret the meaningless language used or report on statistics specialist science journalists only have.
To date the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group has filed several criminal charges against individuals caught sharing false information on social media on COVID-19. Such spreading of unverified and false information on COVID-19 outbreak posts caused panic to some and the PNP said they are dead serious in continuing to take countermeasures against misinformation through cyber patrol operations and monitoring on all social media platforms.
The public is urged refrain from posting and sharing unreliable and unverified reports and information on the pandemic that may cause panic and fear during this period of national emergency. The other day, Rep. Henry Oaminal’s said the NBI’s Cybercrime Division has been monitoring social media channels for fake news, and will start investigations and send subpoenas to the authors of the post to give them a chance to air their side.
That’s the main focus right now and that is where we in the media are to focus also in delivering the right information to the public. We will work together on this.
This action of the NBI cybercrime is focused on the revised penal code, “wherein any publication of false news which will have the tendency to endanger public order will be in violation of Article 154,” particularly on “factual error or malicious intent to populate false news that could endanger the public order,” not on comments on social media.