Poll misinformation
STOPPING the spread of misinformation during an election period would be ensured under the proposed Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2020, says Mosese Bulitavu, a member of the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights that is receiving public submissions on the Bill this week.
“One of the important issues that this Bill clarifies is the spread of misinformation and also false information during campaigning,” he said.
“There is a big penalty, fine and imprisonment for those that will be doing this and also below the belt campaigning.”
According to the proposed Bill, a new section (Section 144 A(1)) has been introduced into the Electoral Act 2013.
The new section states a person or a political party must not publish any information in or outside Fiji and accessible in Fiji, knowing or having reason to believe the information was false and likely to influence the outcome of an election or diminish public confidence in the performance of any duty or function of the Supervisor and the Electoral Commission.
The amendment further states the Supervisor may direct a person, including a service provider or a political party, to remove or correct any statement or information published under subsection(1) and the person must immediately remove or correct the statement or information.
Any person or political party that contravenes this section commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding $50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or both.
The Bill will be discussed in Parliament in March.