Indonesia wages war against coronavirus

misinformation as hoaxes spread online

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta   /   Mon, February 3, 2020   /   05:10 pm

The Indonesian government has decided to wage a war against misinformation about
China's deadly coronavirus on social media, as dozens of hoaxes about the new virus
have been circulating online over the past two weeks.

The Communications and Information Ministry revealed on Monday that 54 hoaxes

about the novel coronavirus – which was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan –
disseminated on social media platforms and messaging apps from Jan. 23 to Feb. 3.

According to the ministry, the hoaxes include false information that some patients in
Indonesia had died after being infected by the coronavirus, despite the fact that the
archipelago has yet to confirm any cases to date.

Other misinformation, such as the notion that drinking boiled garlic water can cure the
coronavirus, had also spread on social media, prompting health authorities to reassert
that no vaccines or medicines have been developed as of yet.

"Please don't immediately forward information that is still not verified yet,"
Communications and Information Minister Johnny G. Plate advised the public during a
press conference on Monday.

The ministry had taken steps to fight against the spread of misinformation by blocking
internet content that disseminated the hoaxes, Antara reported.

The ministry also regularly submits posts that counter hoaxes on its
website kominfo.go.id.

Johnny said it was currently mulling over sending information to smartphone users
through text messages in SMS blasts to alert the public about avoiding dubious sources.

The ministry's director general of information applications, Samuel Abrijani

Pangerapan, said the government in cooperation with the police would take stern action
against those who disseminated false information.

Previously, social media giant Facebook announced that it would fight

against misinformation, saying in a blog post that it would take down content about the
virus "with false claims or conspiracy theories that have been flagged by leading global
health organizations and local health authorities," Reuters reported.

Chinese authorities confirmed on Monday that the coronavirus had killed at least 360 in
China – exceeding the death toll of 349 in the mainland from the 2002-2003 SARS
outbreak. More than 16,400 people in more than 20 countries had been infected with the
virus, AFP reported. (afr)