Steep rise seen in rate of false news, rumors, wrong info on social media

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KUWAIT CITY, April 26: It seems that the rate of rumors, false news and misinformation has intensified lately thanks to some hidden fingers that promote such lies on social communication media platforms with the intention of destabilizing the situation and creating confusion.

Informed sources confirmed this to the daily and noted that rumors and false news have increased in an unprecedented manner in recent times and no longer target some government agencies but the reputation of individuals, while promoting misinformation.

In the past 48 hours, three main rumors surfaced and circulated widely on Twitter. The first was about the discovery of 1,800 abandoned children of Asian origin living in Jeleeb Al-Shouyoukh with “foster” families but a security source assured the daily that the information was baseless.

Another rumor claims that a doctor working in the Ministry of Health passed away 24 hours after contracting the virus but upon confirmation from the medical sources, the news is not true, while the doctor in question is said to be in stable healthy condition.

The list of names of some expatriates was circulated on social media platforms, claiming they’re infected with coronavirus, and at the same time, warning people to keep away from them.

Among the names was a Yemeni resident called Wael Ojaili, who assured the daily he was surprised by the number of calls he received in this regard, and that his efforts to refute the news were futile.

He said, “I tried to explain to people that the news is just a rumor coming from unknown sources but the issue sparked horror in the family”. He called on concerned security agencies to fight this damaging phenomenon and issue severe punishment against the rumormongers.

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