Cape Town man arrested for sharing ‘fake news’ about COVID-19

If you play with fire, you’re going to get burned. A man from Cape Town has learned that the hard way this week, after he was arrested for spreading a fake news story about COVID-19.

Authorities are clamping down hard on the spread of misinformation. During a time of crisis, the last thing any of us need is unnecessary panic or alarm. Sharing fake news creates a climate of fear, and makes it twice as hard for law enforcement and government officials to maintain social order.

Cape Town: Fake news peddler arrested

The infamous post doing the rounds in the Western Cape falsely claimed that all citizens must fill out forms before leaving their homes to go grocery shopping. Although a handful of countries have been operating under these conditions, it does not apply to South Africa. The person who conducted this lie is now facing criminal charges, as per new legislation brought in last week to deal with the peddlers of fake news.

“We’ve noted the reported arrest of a Cape Town man for spreading fake news about the Coronavirus. Fake news is deeply dangerous in a time like this, as it creates fear, panic and uncertainty. Spreading of fake news is now an offence and we call on people to only share content from trusted sources.” 

“A number of concerned residents have reached out to us to ask if they are required to fill out a form to leave the house to buy essential goods. This form is fake – members of the public do not need to fill out a form to go to the shops or get medicine.” 

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde

COVID-19: Lockdown won’t stand for liars

Premier Winde also clarified when South Africans are allowed to leave their homes and for what purposes:

“Coronavirus is here, and although we cannot stop its spread entirely, we have a window of opportunity to slow it down and we must embrace it. It is imperative that people everywhere – across the length and breadth of our province – obey the rules of the lockdown to prevent further spread in our communities.”  

“COVID-19 will impact us all, but it will impact our most vulnerable the hardest. We must all play a role in halting its spread by staying in our homes. You are only allowed to leave your home to buy food, go to the pharmacy, get medical attention or collect a social grant, unless you are working in an essential service.”

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde

A few things to remember about identifying fake news:

• If the message you’ve received is just plain text forwarded on from someone else, DO NOT class that as a legitimate news story. Anyone could have written or sent it.
• Do your research: If you read something that catches your eye, do a quick google search to see if the story has actually been reported anywhere else. It’s important to back-up your stories.
• It can be tricky sometimes: You will get fake news stories that seem legitimate, because someone has screenshotted a headline and the logo of the publisher. These can be easily edited, and unless they come with a link that takes you to an actual article, you should not take it as gospel truth.