Action taken to curb false rumors
Prompt disclosure of information being encouraged
Feng Yi reads micro blogs every day because he does not want to miss any news about the novel coronavirus pneumonia outbreak. However, he has become swamped by the amount of information available, which is constantly being updated.
On Feb 10, Feng, a 25-year-old guesthouse manager in Zhengzhou, Henan province, saw on online post stating that supplies from Shanghai Huashan Hospital, including vital items for medical workers, had been “stolen and had disappeared” after being sent to Wuhan, Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak.
“I was so angry when I saw the post. I couldn’t bear it that such a ridiculous incident had happened at this critical and difficult time amid the ongoing outbreak,” he said.
The post spread on social media in China for nearly 24 hours, before being identified as false the next day.
The hospital said the rumored disappearance and theft of the supplies was incorrect, adding that they had been delivered to Wuhan several hours after the medical workers from Shanghai had arrived in the city. The supplies had then been taken to hotels where medical staff members were staying.
This is just one of the many rumors that have spread about the epidemic.
Li Ya, a lawyer from the Zhongwen Law Firm in Beijing, said, “Some fake messages have spread like wildfire online, not only because the contents about the disease and its control closely relate to everyone’s health and safety, but also because some authorities were late in disclosing the outbreak, or failed to do so at all.
“Such uncertainties can make people anxious and even cause them to panic, which is not good for effective control of the epidemic. ”
Li called for the country to set up a mechanism comprising government agencies, professional institutions and internet service providers to report any emergencies as soon as possible, especially when rumors have circulated.
“Information disclosure is the best disinfectant for eliminating rumors,” he said.
For example, he said government departments and professional institutions must announce and promptly publish any official data, including virus-related studies and measures to prevent the outbreak spreading. Online service providers should also do more to help.
Meanwhile, internet users need to improve their knowledge and learn to carry out searches on authorized websites before posting or forwarding any information, he added.
Xu Hao, a lawyer from the Jingsh Law Firm in Beijing, said that according to Chinese law, anyone found spreading false rumors with the intention of creating panic will be strictly punished.
“But if we find that some conclusions have been drawn by professionals based on their current studies, such as those on medical science, we should be prudent in determining if they are true or false, because our understanding of new developments is always changing,” he said.
Strong reaction
The mass enthusiasm for and purchases of Shuanghuanglian Oral Liquid, a relatively cheap Chinese patented drug often used to treat colds, highlights just how strongly the public has reacted to the outbreak.
On Jan 31, the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and the Wuhan
Institute of Virology, which are responsible to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said in an online statement that the drug suppresses growth of the virus, adding that these early-stage findings will require more clinical trials before they can be confirmed. They did not state whether the drug could be used to treat novel coronavirus pneumonia.
But that evening, rumors spread rapidly online stating that the drug could not only cure the disease, but also prevent people from becoming infected with the virus. Photos of people lining up at pharmacies during the night to buy the drug went viral on social media.
Experts were quick to advise against irrational purchases and consumption of the herbal medicine, explaining that the findings were only at an early stage and that it was totally unnecessary for those who were not infected to take this drug.
Feng, the guesthouse manager, was glad that he had not rushed to buy the drug, adding that he did not believe it could cure the disease. “The World Health Organization announced earlier that there is no medicine specially designed to prevent or cure the novel coronavirus,” he said.
But he understood why people had lined up to buy the medicine, adding, “Everyone wants to protect themselves and to clutch at any straw they can during the epidemic.”
According to statistics from Sina Corp, as of Feb 12, more than 100,000 items about the epidemic had been discussed on Sina Weibo.
Since Jan 20, to help the public follow and understand the outbreak, more than 100 government agencies, including the National Health Commission, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Education, have held many news conferences and posted more than 850,000 items of related information online.
Sina Corp said in a statement, “Internet companies should also contribute to winning the battle against the disease by taking on their social responsibilities.”
Sina Weibo has invited doctors, patients and their families in Wuhan to talk about the epidemic. It has also warned users who intentionally falsify information. In serious cases, users’ accounts have been closed.
Government agencies have put up 25,000 posts on Weibo to clarify that certain online information is either problematic or totally forged, while Sina Corp said it has punished 428
Weibo users for falsifying information.
Li, from the Zhongwen Law Firm, said rumors can spread fast, causing people to panic.
He said he was glad to see more authorities responding at news conferences to key issues concerning the outbreak, but added that there was insufficient identification and disclosure of information.
“Government departments and professional institutions need to identify and conclude whether information is fake or not. If this identification is not carried out promptly, any dubious posts will spread rapidly online,” he said.
To improve efficiency, he suggested the authorities set up a team during emergencies to disseminate key information provided by the public and respond to it by working with online service platforms, such as Weibo.
“In addition, it is more important to explain what data means, rather than merely release figures,” he added. “Better explanations will help alleviate public concern and reduce unnecessary guesswork.”
Law enforcement
Widespread attention has focused on Li Wenliang, a doctor from Wuhan Central Hospital who was initially reprimanded by local police for “spreading rumors online”, before his death from the disease led to an outpouring of grief on the internet.
On Dec 30, the doctor told a WeChat group he had seen a report showing that seven patients had tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome. He told his colleagues and friends to be careful.
On Jan 3, he was summoned by Wuhan police for “spreading fake information on the internet”. He was reprimanded but not fined or detained. The doctor died on Feb 7.
Xu, from the Jingsh Law Firm, said: “What Li Wenliang said online was not totally wrong. It was based on his own studies. There was no conclusion at the time as to whether Li’s comments were fake or not, and his warning to others was based on his occupation.”
Under Chinese law, rumors are defined as falsified information or that without basis in fact.
Xu said more time and studies are needed to prove whether comments or conclusions, especially those involving science and technology, are true. He added that it was improper for law enforcement departments to draw blind conclusions.
“We should have no tolerance for and oppose those who intentionally forge and post fake information to disturb public order. We must also be clear that any information has been forged before taking action,” he added.
Xu said those found to have spread rumors face administrative detention ranging from five to 10 days as well as a fine. He said they should also be held criminally liable if their behavior has a significant negative effect on society.
People falsifying posts about emergencies, epidemics, disasters or alerts online or through media platforms, or who know that certain information is fake but still spread it to disturb public order, face imprisonment of up to seven years under the Criminal Law.
Xu added: “Some inaccurate or exaggerated information may have been posted as a well-intentioned warning. I think a better way to deal with this is for the authorities to promptly correct such action. Law enforcement departments should also show some tolerance and guidance, instead of handing out tough punishments.”
Li Ya, the lawyer, said: “For a better online environment, individuals need to widen their knowledge ... and governments at all levels need to improve their efficiency in disclosing information and to refine their law enforcement measures.”