Our Correspondent
Kohima, April 7 (EMN): Social media has been flooded with numerous posts on the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), ever since it originated at Wuhan in China. Various messages have been in circulation prescribing strange diets, medicines and others to citizens amidst this pandemic.
In the midst of the government of India’s decision for the 21-day lockdown, misleading posts with the signage of World Health Organisation (WHO) and their prescribed protocols and procedure of lockdown periods for controlling the virus, have been in circulation.
Meanwhile, many people, believing the messages, have been disturbed psychologically, as social media has been a mixture of real and fake news, despite government broadcasts and media houses relentlessly working to dispel and sift rumours.
On Tuesday, with regard to the viral posts claiming WHO's protocols and procedure that was found to be widely circulating, the government took to Twitter and clarified that no such notification was issued, and appealed to its citizens not to fall for such fake news.
The central government tweeted, “There is no notification issued by WHO on the lockdown schedule. This is a rumour, which is being spread across the internet. Don’t fall for such fake news! Stay informed, Stay Safe!”
The same post was also retweeted by the state government's official Twitter handle @MyGov Nagaland.
Another social media message has been claiming that legal action will be taken against 'admins' and member of online groups. “Group admin is requested to close group for two days as police can take action against admin and group members vide section 68, 140 and 188 if anyone, even by mistake, posts joke on corona. Everyone could be in trouble. Hence I draw attention of group admin to take necessary steps.”
The government also clarified about this viral message and the Press Information Bureau (PIB) in a tweet stated that the government had issued no such advisory.
It tweeted: “Fake message is going around on social media claiming that legal action would be taken against admins and group members who post jokes on coronavirus, hence group admin should close the group for 2 days. This is Fake! No such order has been issued by the government.”
Medical records of tested individuals were also being circulated online and identifying suspected people resulting in stigmatisation, thereby violating the standing rules and laws of Electronic and Information Technology Act or in parallel the Epidemic Disease Act, 1897 (No. 3 of 1897), government of Nagaland.