LETTER: Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob recently said fake news can trigger panic and that action will be taken against those forwarding them — a phenomenon known as "infodemic" — in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In April alone, during the third week of the Movement Control Order (MCO), a total of 37 Malaysians aged between 21 and 45 were arrested, with 22 of them being charged with the offence.
Now, the number of fake news cases has risen to 270 as the nation entered its third wave of the pandemic.
We tend to receive breaking news on WhatsApp or Facebook, only to see the same piece of information later being stamped as "Palsu" or "Fake".
CodeBlue website, in reporting about fact-checks at the Sebenarnya.my portal on Sept 3, revealed that WhatsApp was the most popular medium to spread fake news at 39 per cent, followed by Facebook at 34 per cent.
This kind of misinformation, according to the report, predominantly pertained to government policies or action, and developments on the spread of the virus.
Fake news does bring harm. A study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene estimated that 5,800 people had been injured as a result of false information on social media.
Last August, BBC News reported that hundreds had died from drinking methanol or alcohol-based cleaning products as they believed rumours that it could cure the disease.
We definitely do not want this to happen in Malaysia.
The United States International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions has published guidelines to combat fake news, including reading beyond the headline to understand the whole story, checking the credibility of the authors/senders and assessing the supporting sources of claims.
Then it urged readers to check the date of publication and seek confirmation from experts.
The Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission has set up the Sebenarnya.my portal for the public to report and clarify potential fake news.
It has also been working with the National Security Council, Health Ministry and the police in exposing fake news via their official websites, Facebook and Telegram.
Nevertheless, in the advent of digital technology, fake news may not be fully eradicated. It takes a lot of effort and cooperation of many agencies to detain the perpetrators.
Therefore, people must learn how to discern fake news from real ones. Apart from relying on public alerts and legal action to stop fake news, use common sense and sound judgment.
Children should be cautioned against creating and forwarding fake news. Tell them about the consequences of doing so, and the trouble they may cause.
Tell them that deleting the post will not save the sender because the receiver may have captured a screenshot and spread it to others.
We need to set forth our minds to combat fake news, especially in the face of this Covid-19 threat. Be aware that spreading false news is immoral. Never share any information if its authenticity is doubtful.
Avoid becoming clout chasers — sharing something to gain "likes" only on Facebook. In essence, take it as your duty to stop fake news. Let us stop the infodemic.
ZAAMAH MOHD NOR
UiTM, Shah Alam, Selangor
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times