Fake News, Lockdown and Unintended Consequences

Fake news is news that consists of deliberate misinformation or hoaxes spread using traditional or social media. With most of the world’s population under lockdown and with easy access to smartphones, in an atmosphere where people are desperate for information, fake news is everywhere.

Anyone who creates or spreads fake news about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) is now liable for prosecution.. The government has put mechanisms in place to enable it to act faster in curbing digital misinformation and fake news. We also need to remind South Africans that spreading fake news or misinformation about Covid-19 is a punishable offence.

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