Conservative MP joins the battle against spreading of fake news during pandemic

MP Damian Collins has warned against sharing coronavirus-related “fake news” as he launched an online service to combat falsehoods during the pandemic.

The former chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media And Sport (DCMS) Select Committee called for knowingly peddling misinformation related to the Covid-19 outbreak to be made an offence.

He has partnered with Infotagion, a free-to-access website, which allows members of the public to post screenshots of coronavirus-related information they have received online.

A team organised by Mr Collins — who led the Government investigation into disinformation and fake news — will check what users submit against official sources and give traffic light answers on whether it is true or false.

“Lots of the debate around fake news has been in the political context, around election campaigning, but here we are seeing it in a public health crisis,” he said. “In some ways, this is the first public health crisis in the age of social media disinformation, and therefore it requires a different response.”

The Conservative MP said it should be an offence for sometory one to “knowingly and maliciously spread disinformation” that could be harmful to public health.

“I think that should be an offence to do that, and should be an offence for social media companies not to take that content down,” he said.

The service, in collaboration with media and technology company Iconic Labs, will provide users with links to trusted information sources, such as the World Health Organisation, or official Government guidance.

Mr Collins added: “I think part of the confusion comes because there is so much happening every day — new restrictions, new information.”