[COR0151]
Written evidence submitted by Hacked Off (COR0151)
Summary
This submission is limited to addressing the terms of reference of the Committee’s Inquiry which relate to online harms.
Hacked Off has expertise and experience in looking at the role the unregulated press plays in online harms. That is not to diminish the problem of non-press social media actors, but rather;
This submission finds the following, set out in response to the relevant terms of reference.
Term 1:
The nature, prevalence and scale of online harms during the Covid-19 period
Term 2:
Steps that could be taken to mitigate these concerns
Term 3:
The adequacy of the Government’s Online Harms proposals to address issues arising from the pandemic, as well as issues previously identified
These terms of reference are addressed in detail below.
Term 1:
The nature, prevalence and scale of online harms during the Covid-19 period
Description of disinformation | Examples in The Sun | Telegraph | Mirror | Express | Metro | Daily Star | The Times/ST | |
Mass cremations | 1 |
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| 1 |
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Origin of virus | 2 |
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| 2 | 2 |
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Advance knowledge of virus |
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| 1 |
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Advice & conduct of authorities | 1 |
| 1 | 1 |
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| 1 |
Prevalence, seriousness or effect of virus | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
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| 1 |
Regarding Bill Gates | 1 |
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| 1 |
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Cures and treatments | 3 |
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| 2 | 1 |
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5G link |
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| 1 |
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For example, the headline of example number 18 is
“Coronavirus cure: Does drinking warm water help cure coronavirus?”.
Many screen-scrolls later, article eventually states:
“However, the claims quickly came under question and Kalpana Sabapathy, a clinical epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told BBC Future drinking water doesn’t kill coronavirus.”
But even this seemingly unchallengeable fact is set against the views of another person who claims (without evidence) that drinking warm water does provide a cure. Nowhere does the article report the scientific consensus that warm water does not cure the virus.
Furthermore, the reader has to read 652 words, pass through two page-width videos, three page-width images (two of which feature people drinking water), three advertisements and eleven prominent links to other stories before reaching the accurate rebuttal. For many readers, the headline and opening sentences are all they will read.
This is for the following reasons:
Conclusion 1:
Online harms have been committed directly by newspaper publishers, which have considerable reach. This point is evidenced by Part One of the Appendix which provides evidence of disinformation and misinformation about Covid-19 published on 37 occasions by national newspapers.
The evidence shows:
Description of disinformation | No. examples in The Sun | The Telegraph | The Mirror | The Mail |
The virus is a hoax designed to control citizens; and/or to block EU withdrawal |
|
|
| 3 |
Virus is linked to 5G |
| 4 |
| 1 |
Virus is a bio-weapon and/or was engineered & began in laboratory | 13 | 3 | 6 | 3 |
The virus was created by Bill Gates; that world events are manipulated by “elites”, and/or that the virus was intended to be used as a form of population control | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
The virus is killed in sunlight, or under standard UV lamps |
| 3 |
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The virus began in the USA | 1 |
| 2 |
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Miscellaneous |
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| 1: China engineers fruit from plastic 1: David Icke video – series of theories 1: The 9/11 terror attack was a hoax | 1: President Trump is prolonging the effect of the virus because Ivanka Trump stands to profit from sales of coffins. |
Conclusion 2:
Online harms have been committed on the social media platforms operated by national newspapers (“comment sections”). This point is evidenced by Part Two of the appendix, which provides dozens of examples of disinformation carried on social media platforms operated by newspaper publishers.
“The Secretary of State wrote a letter to the Society of Editors and this was about the below the line comments sections. They were concerned that that might be regulated. I think what the Secretary of State is saying is where there is already clear and effective moderation of that sort of content, we don’t intend to duplicate it. So for example, there are IPSO and IMPRESS activity on moderated content sections.”
Conclusion 3:
IPSO, the complaints-handling association for corporate newspapers, is not taking action to remove disinformation from newspapers’ editorial content or social media platforms.
Terms 2 & 3:
Steps that could be taken to mitigate these concerns;
The adequacy of the Government’s Online Harms proposals to address issues arising from the pandemic, as well as issues previously identified
Conclusion 4:
As a matter of urgency, action must be taken such that IPSO is replaced by an independent press regulator to address these concerns.
Conclusion 5:
Newspapers’ online activity must not be exempted, as proposed, in the new Online Harms regime set out in the Government’s White Paper.
Conclusion 6:
The Government currently has no strategy for tackling Online Harms insofar as they are instigated, enabled and/or promoted by news publishers. The proposals published to date deal only partially deal with the problem and would fail to provide a solution to Online Harms.
[COR0151]
Appendix Part One: Disinformation published by established media outlets
The table below sets out 37 examples of disinformation published to millions of readers by the largest newspaper publishers in the UK.
The publishers are members of IPSO. None of them have (as yet) been subject to any remedial action from the complaints-handler in respect of any of these articles.
The rebuttal to the disinformation is included in the relevant column; where FullFact (or another fact-checking body) has verified the inaccuracy, this is made clear.
Please note that in many cases, the newspaper published these false claims on its social media accounts (on Twitter and Facebook for example) where they have large followings and are amplified across the internet by reposting, linking and re-tweeting. Any proposals for tackling online harms must not allow these fake news stories on social media to be excluded from the reach of any regulator or policy, while those of ordinary citizens with far less impact are subject to the regime.
Example No. | Date | Publication | Headline | Link | Story remains accessible? | Claim | Reality |
1 | 10/02/2020 | The Sun | “Chilling satellite pics ‘show extent of corpse burning in Wuhan’” | Removed. | Satellite images showing high levels of sulphur dioxide above China are possible evidence of mass cremations of people who have died from coronavirus. | Full Fact: | |
2 | 10/02/2020 | The Express | “Coronavirus satellite image: Does THIS image show REAL scale of virus cremations?” | Removed. | Satellite images showing high levels of sulphur dioxide above China are possible evidence of mass cremations of people who have died from coronavirus. | Full Fact: | |
3 | 16/02/2020 | Mail Online | “Did coronavirus originate in Chinese government laboratory? Scientists believe killer disease may have begun in research facility 300 yards from Wuhan wet fish market” | Y | Scientists believe that coronavirus may have come from bats in a Chinese research facility. | Full Fact: | |
4 | 16/02/2020 | The Sun | “THE coronavirus could have spread from a Wuhan laboratory which housed 600 bats which attacked and “peed on” scientists, experts say.” | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10973774/coronavirus-wuhan-lab-bats-attacked/ | Y | Scientists believe that coronavirus may have come from bats in a Chinese research facility. | Full Fact: |
5 | 17/02/2020 | The Daily Express |
“Did scientists know about coronavirus before outbreak? 'Disease X' warning revealed” | Y | Scientists knew about the new coronavirus long ago and called it “Disease X”. | Full Fact: | |
6 | 27/02/2020 | The Sun | The NHS hasn’t advised people to stop shaking hands to avoid the Wuhan coronavirus | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11052741/coronavirus-wash-hands-ban-handshakes/ | Y | The NHS has warned people should not shake hands to prevent the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus | This is incorrect. Although some doctors have suggested this may be a good idea, no advice around shaking hands has been issued by the government |
7 | 10/03/2020 | Daily Express |
“Coronavirus may have been genetically engineered for the “efficient spreading in the human population,” a bombshell new study has claimed.” | Y | Coronavirus may have been genetically engineered for “efficient spreading in the human population,” a bombshell new study has claimed. | This is wrong and the study does not claim the new coronavirus has been genetically engineered. It simply compares the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 with other coronaviruses, and suggests a reason why it might be spreading relatively efficiently. | |
8 | 26/03/2020 | The Sun | “Coronavirus symptom tracker app suggests 6.6MILLION Brits already have Covid-19” | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11259093/coronavirus-symptom-tracker-app-6-6-million-brits/ | Y | Data from a new app which tracks symptoms of Covid-19 claims that up to 6.6 million people in the UK have the disease. | This data cannot be extrapolated to the UK population. The number of people with Covid-19 may be higher, lower, or the same as claimed. |
9 | 26/03/2010 | Mail Online | “Coronavirus symptom tracker claims up to 6.6MILLION people in Britain may already have the life-threatening infection” | Y | Data from a new app which tracks symptoms of Covid-19 claims that up to 6.6 million people in the UK have the disease. | This data cannot be extrapolated to the UK population. The number of people with Covid-19 may be higher, lower, or the same as claimed. | |
10 | 26/03/2010 | Daily Telegraph (print edition) | “Data from the free Covid Symptom Tracker suggests that one in 10 Britons may now be carrying the virus.” | Y | Data from a new app which tracks symptoms of Covid-19 claims that up to 6.6 million people in the UK have the disease. | This data cannot be extrapolated to the UK population. The number of people with Covid-19 may be higher, lower, or the same as claimed. | |
11 | Reported 24/03/2020 | The Sun | [Bill Gates “quote” story]: as reported by Buzzfeed | https://www.buzzfeed.com/joeydurso/coronavirus-fake-bill-gates-quote | Removed. | A quote reportedly given by Bill Gates was published. The “quote” suggested it is Mr Gates’ view that the virus has some supernatural purpose. | The quote was an invention: Mr Gates never said it. It is particularly dangerous given the conspiracy theories that exist about Bill Gates and his charitable work. |
12 | Reported 24/03/2020 | The Metro | [Bill Gates “quote” story]: as reported by Buzzfeed. | https://www.buzzfeed.com/joeydurso/coronavirus-fake-bill-gates-quote | Removed. | A quote reportedly given by Bill Gates was published. The “quote” suggested it is Mr Gates’ view that the virus has some supernatural purpose. | The quote was an invention: Mr Gates never said it. It is particularly dangerous given the conspiracy theories that exist about Bill Gates and his charitable work. |
13 | 03/02/2020 | The Sun | HOT TODDY 'REMEDY' Coronavirus UK – First Brit known to catch virus ‘beat deadly flu with glass of hot whisky and honey’ | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10876645/coronavirus-uk-brit-virus-china-wuhan/ | Y | An individual recovered from COVID-19 by drinking whiskey and honey. | There is on evidence to suggest that honey or whiskey can “beat” COVID-19. Drinking alcohol does not protect you against COVID-19 and can be dangerous. |
14 | 28/03/2020 | The Mirror | Coronavirus: People with Down's syndrome could be left to die to ‘save’ medical supplies | https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/coronavirus-people-downs-syndrome-could-21772296 | Y | Coronavirus: People with Down's syndrome could be left to die to ‘save’ medical supplies. | Misleading and sensationalist clickbait. Despite the Mirror referring to Down’s Syndrome, cerebral palsy and autism, the actual guidelines do not refer to any of these syndromes or disorders. The actual guidelines (which come from and relate to Alabama which is not a the home of many Mirror readers) refer to “severe or profound mental retardation”, which sets an entirely different threshold. |
15 | 26/03/2020 | Daily Star | “Fears 5G wifi networks could be acting as 'accelerator' for disease” | https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/coronavirus-fears-5g-wifi-networks-21728189 | Y | 5G WiFi networks could be responsible for the rapid spread of the new coronavirus. | This is not true. There is no evidence that 5G WiFi networks are linked to the new coronavirus. |
16 | Reported 01/04/2020 | Telegraph | "Ten times more people die of flu than covid-19" | As reported on Twitter:
| n/a | "Ten times more people die of flu than covid-19" | To produce the claim in the headline, the Telegraph had to take figures from a single week (when the death toll from COVID-19 was far lower than it is in the present), and wrongly classify all respiratory illnesses as “flu”. It is dangerous disinformation to suggest that COVID-19 is ten times less deadly than flu. |
17 | 01/04/2020 | Sun | JAB HOPE BCG injection we all had as kids ‘could protect against coronavirus’ – so should we have another dose? | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11292581/anti-tb-injection-protect-against-coronavirus/ | Y | The BCG injection is believed to protect individuals from COVID-19. | There is no evidence that the BCG injection protects individuals from COVID-19. Trials have not even begun. |
18 | 02/04/2020 | Express | Coronavirus cure: Does drinking warm water help cure coronavirus? | Y | Headline suggests drinking water may help cure Coronavirus. | Article confirms - 80% of the way down - that it does not. But a fraction of those who see the headline will read this detail - believing instead that drinking warm water may contirbute to protection from COVID-19. | |
19 | 02/04/2020 | Express | Coronavirus symptoms: Five signs you may have already had the COVID-19 infection | Y | Symptoms of many common illnesses are given as possible signs of having COVID. | Each symptom would be far more likely to have been a sign of having another illness. | |
20 | 27/03/2020 | Express | Coronavirus warning after study suggests COVID-19 could do this to men's sexual health | Y | Mens' reproductive health affected by COVID-19. | The article refers to a report, since retracted, which has not been peer-reviewed and is almost entirely speculative in nature. A report published online that suggests the novel coronavirus may lead to male infertility has now been removed...the team did not perform a study to assess male fertility in patients who had been infected with the coronavirus, and there is no evidence to suggest that the virus is found in the testes. | |
21 | 12/03/2020 | The Mirror | Coronavirus 'may cause damage to men's testicles', doctors warn | https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/coronavirus-may-cause-damage-mens-21681342 | Y | Mens' reproductive health affected by COVID-19. | The article refers to a report, since retracted, which has not been peer-reviewed and is almost entirely speculative in nature. A report published online that suggests the novel coronavirus may lead to male infertility has now been removed...the team did not perform a study to assess male fertility in patients who had been infected with the coronavirus, and there is no evidence to suggest that the virus is found in the testes. |
22 | 26/03/2020 | Express | Coronavirus warning: Nurse says long nails is one of the fastest spreaders of the virus | Y | Long nails contribute to the spread of COVID-19. | This is not an evidentially substantiated report. It is the opinion of a single nurse who published a post on Facebook which went viral. | |
23 | 31/03/2020 | Express | Coronavirus when pregnant: Childbirth during pandemic will be 'traumatic' warns expert | https://www.exhen-pregnant-childbirth-newborns-covid-19-cases | Y | Headline suggests being infected with coronavirus affects pregnancy. | Article goes on to set out that it's the view of an individual that, in Australia, the scarcity of resources and support available for pregnant women during the COVID-19 crisis is likely to lead to a traumatic experience of pregnancy. There is no connection to the UK, and COVID-19 does not affect pregnancy directly.
Based on the limited data available, the WHO writes, there is currently no evidence to suggest that pregnant women are at greater risk of severe illness from Covid-19 than the general population. According to the RCOG, there is also no evidence that Covid-19 during pregnancy leads to any problems with the baby’s development or causes miscarriage. |
24 | 01/04/2020 | Express | Coronavirus breakthrough: Doctor featured on Netflix's Pandemic finds COVID-19 'cure' | Y | Says cure found by Netflix-featured doctor. | No cure has been found. The doctor hasn't even been working on the virus directly. | |
25 | 10/03/2020 | Express | Coronavirus news: Once infected you could have COVID-19 virus FOR LIFE, warns expert | Y | Individuals could suffer from COVID-19 for life. | An expert had commented that some people occasionally will retain an inactive form of the virus (this happens with other viruses). There was no “warning”, because there is no suggestion that people will suffer the virus symptomatically for life. | |
26 | 21/01/2020 | Sun | "LIKE A BAT OUTTA HELL China coronavirus: Fears outbreak is linked to bat soup sold at Wuhan market". | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10801901/china-coronavirus-outbreak-wuhan/ | Removed. | That the virus originated with the consumption of bat soup, including a video of bat soup being consumed. | The story has been corrected, to make clear that no such link has been proven. The origin of the video is unclear. |
27 | 31/03/2020 | Express | Coronavirus bombshell: Biosecurity expert exposes real 'origin of human virus transfer | Y | Pangolins are responsible for spreading the virus to humans in the first instance. | There is no conclusive proof that pangolins are involved in how the virus spread to humans. | |
28 | 19/03/2020 | The Sun | Flu, anti-malaria, arthritis and HIV drugs ‘showing promise’ in fight against coronavirus | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11206632/flu-malaria-arthritis-hiv-drugs-coronavirus/ | Y | Drugs used for flu and other viruses have been shown in tests to offer a possible cure for COVID-19. | Story implies tests have been carried out on patients, when it has all been lab-based. Claims China has reported one drug successfully cures patients, but provides no evidence of China doing so. |
29 | 04/03/2020 | Mail Online | Did coronavirus leak from a research lab in Wuhan? Startling new theory is 'no longer being discounted' amid claims staff 'got infected after being sprayed with blood' | Y | China may have developed COVID-19 in a lab. | There is “no evidence” for this. | |
30 | 03/04/2020 | Mail Online | Trump-backed anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquien is the most effective coronavirus treatment currently available, finds international poll of 6,000 doctors | Y | A majority of 6,200 doctors said hydroxychloroquine is the most effective coronavirus treatment. | A poll of this kind cannot show “effectiveness” - it only shows the anecdotal perceptions of doctors. There was also not a majority, and the sample was not representative. The poll the data comes from is not representative of all doctors. 37%, not a majority, of those involved in Covid-19 treatment worldwide said hydroxychloroquine was among the most effective treatments. | |
30 | 03/04/2020 | Mail Online | Trump-backed anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquien is the most effective coronavirus treatment currently available, finds international poll of 6,000 doctors | Y | The FDA has approved hydroxychloroquine for treatment of COVID 19 | The FDA has not approved hydroxychloroquine for use in COVID 19 Snopes fact-check makes clear that the FDA has authorised release of the drug from its stockpile for trial and experimental/compassionate off-label use only in COVID | |
31 | 02/04/2020 | Daily Mirror | ‘Coronavirus ‘could kill 50,000’ in UK with Easter Sunday ‘to be deadliest day’’. | https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/uks-deadliest-day-set-easter-21802804 | Y | The headline implies that COVID-19 could be responsible for 50,000 deaths on Easter Sunday. | The 50,000 figure is cumulative - not an expectation for Easter Sunday itself. |
32 | 15/05/2020 | The Times | Children and adults have same chance of getting ill | Y (corrected online) | Children and adults equally likely to become ill from COVID-19. | FullFact: “that is not what the ONS said. It actually said: “There is no evidence of differences in the proportions testing positive for COVID-19 between the age categories.” Being infected with Covid-19 and becoming ill with the disease are two different things. Just because children appear to be as likely to be infected as adults, that doesn’t mean they are as likely to become ill, because being infected doesn’t automatically mean you display symptoms or become ill. There’s good reason to believe that children have a better chance of avoiding illness after being infected with Covid-19 than adults. Even if the Times had just said children had the same chance of becoming infected as adults, this would still be on shaky ground, as the evidence the ONS has gathered on this is far from conclusive. https://fullfact.org/health/infection-illness-children-coronavirus/ | |
33 | 29/04/2020 | The Mirror | No single case of a child passing coronavirus to an adult exists, study claims | https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/no-single-case-child-passing-21949365 | Y (since corrected online) | Study concluded that there were no cases existing of a child under 10 passing on COVID-19 to an adult. | FullFact: “The authors [of the study] refer to some findings produced by the China/World Health Organisation (WHO) joint commission: “Notably the China/WHO joint commission could not recall episodes during contact tracing where transmission occurred from a child to an adult”. News outlets reported this finding, out of context, as the overall result of the review. Whilst the review did not document any specific cases where a child to adult transmission occurred, it described several studies that offer contradictory evidence on the potential for transmission. The review did not conclude that adults cannot catch the virus from children. It stated (at the time that the news articles were written) that “the role of children in passing the disease to others is unknown, in particular given large numbers of asymptomatic cases”. https://fullfact.org/health/children-transmitting-coronavirus/ |
34 | 29/04/2020 | The Sun | No case of child passing on coronavirus to an adult exists, scientists say | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11513344/no-case-child-passing-coronavirus-to-adult-scientists-say/ | Y | Study concluded that there were no cases existing of a child under 10 passing on COVID-19 to an adult. | FullFact: “The authors [of the study] refer to some findings produced by the China/World Health Organisation (WHO) joint commission: “Notably the China/WHO joint commission could not recall episodes during contact tracing where transmission occurred from a child to an adult”. News outlets reported this finding, out of context, as the overall result of the review. Whilst the review did not document any specific cases where a child to adult transmission occurred, it described several studies that offer contradictory evidence on the potential for transmission. The review did not conclude that adults cannot catch the virus from children. It stated (at the time that the news articles were written) that “the role of children in passing the disease to others is unknown, in particular given large numbers of asymptomatic cases”. https://fullfact.org/health/children-transmitting-coronavirus/ |
35 | 29/04/2020 | The Telegraph | No reported case of a child passing coronavirus to an adult exists, evidence review shows | Y | Study concluded that there were no cases existing of a child under 10 passing on COVID-19 to an adult. | FullFact: “The authors [of the study] refer to some findings produced by the China/World Health Organisation (WHO) joint commission: “Notably the China/WHO joint commission could not recall episodes during contact tracing where transmission occurred from a child to an adult”. News outlets reported this finding, out of context, as the overall result of the review. Whilst the review did not document any specific cases where a child to adult transmission occurred, it described several studies that offer contradictory evidence on the potential for transmission. The review did not conclude that adults cannot catch the virus from children. It stated (at the time that the news articles were written) that “the role of children in passing the disease to others is unknown, in particular given large numbers of asymptomatic cases”. https://fullfact.org/health/children-transmitting-coronavirus/ | |
36 | 29/04/2020 | The Daily Mail | Experts cannot find a single child under 10 who has passed on coronavirus to an adult despite huge trawl of data raising hopes they pose no risk | Y | Study concluded that there were no cases existing of a child under 10 passing on COVID-19 to an adult. | FullFact: “The authors [of the study] refer to some findings produced by the China/World Health Organisation (WHO) joint commission: “Notably the China/WHO joint commission could not recall episodes during contact tracing where transmission occurred from a child to an adult”. News outlets reported this finding, out of context, as the overall result of the review. Whilst the review did not document any specific cases where a child to adult transmission occurred, it described several studies that offer contradictory evidence on the potential for transmission. The review did not conclude that adults cannot catch the virus from children. It stated (at the time that the news articles were written) that “the role of children in passing the disease to others is unknown, in particular given large numbers of asymptomatic cases”. https://fullfact.org/health/children-transmitting-coronavirus/ | |
37 | 03/05/2020 | The Sunday Times | Set free healthy over-seventies, say doctors | Y (since corrected online) | Over 70s are designated as clinically vulnerable, meaning the Government is advising they stay inside for 12 weeks. | Those designated as “clinically vulnerable” are not required to stay inside for 12 weeks. They are required to follow guidelines on social distancing particularly stringently, but are not being required to self-isolate entirely (which is the case for a smaller category of people with specific conditions). FullFact: https://fullfact.org/health/coronavirus-shielding-social-distancing/ |
20
[COR0151]
Appendix Part Two: Disinformation on established newspapers’ social media platforms
Please find below some of the most egregious examples of disinformation published on the social media platforms operated by four of the largest newspapers:
Five stories from each publication are recorded, with screenshots of users sharing disinformation in the social media (“comment”) sections set out below. The date that the comment was recorded is also noted, which shows that in many cases the public had been exposed to these comments for days without any action being taken by the publisher.
The review was carried out over a two-week period, from 6th to 20th April.
An audit on 20th April shows that many of the comments were still accessible on that date (this is noted below).
Some have still not been removed, more than a month later.
All four of these newspapers are members of IPSO. At time of submission, IPSO had not taken action in respect of these comments.
Publication: The Sun
Story 1:
BAT ATTACK Coronavirus may have started in Wuhan lab where HUNDREDS of bats ‘attacked and peed on scientists’, experts say
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10973774/coronavirus-wuhan-lab-bats-attacked/
This story was debunked by FullFact - it is editorial disinformation published by The Sun newspaper. The comments below show disinformation also being spread in the comments.
Comment 1 (09/04/2020):
A user states that a cure already exists for the virus, and it is controlled by “elites”.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (09/04/2020):
The conspiracy theory that the virus was engineered and accidentally leaked.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 2:
VIRUS RAGE Coronavirus fury as wet markets across Asia STILL selling wildlife to eat despite ‘sparking deadly pandemic’
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11271765/coronavirus-wet-markets-still-selling/
Comment 1 (09/04/2020):
A user repeats the conspiracy theory that the virus was engineered.
Comment no longer accessible.
Comment 2 (09/04/2020):
Again, the conspiracy theory that the virus was engineered.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 3 (09/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus is a bioweapon. It received 39 “likes” at time of being recorded, and had been published for over a week.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comments 4 & 5 (09/04/2020):
User indicates that the virus is part of a Chinese conspiracy; a second user responds to effectively allege the virus is a bioweapon.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 3:
US officials warned bat study at Wuhan lab could trigger coronavirus outbreak TWO years ago
Comment 1 (15/04/2020):
The conspiracy theory that the virus is a bioweapon is repeated.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus did not come from the market - suggests it was engineered.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 4:
Wuhan coronavirus scientists injected bat virus into piglets then fed their infected internal organs to cannibal hogs
Comment 1 (15/04/2020):
A user responds in agreement - suggesting the virus began as biological warfare.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (15/04/2020):
Conspiracy theory is spread that the virus came about after discarded animals which had been tested on were sold in the local market.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 5:
China hushed up work of ‘Bat Woman’ coronavirus expert who unlocked killer gene that could have saved lives
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11381746/china-hushed-up-bat-woman-coronavirus-expert/#comments
Comment 1 (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus came from a lab; that it was started deliberately, and that animals were losing limbs as part of experimentation.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (15/04/2020):
Conspiracy theory that the virus is a weapon.
Comment 3 (15/04/2020):
Disinformation which has been widely shared; that the virus began in the US, and that US soldiers brought the virus to China.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 4 (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus was created by China; that Chinese people bought out the world’s supply of protective equipment.
Comment remains visible under different username, accessed 20/04/2020:
Publication: The Telegraph
Story 1:
Coronavirus: can sunbathing spread the virus and should we ban outdoor exercise?
Comment 1 (recorded 07/04/2020):
Here a user repeats the dangerous “fake news” that UV lamps can viably be used to kill the virus and that coronavirus is no worse than any other strain of flu and only responsible for deaths of the elderly and unwell. It gains 66 “likes”.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (08/04/2020):
A user links directly to a YouTube video from the author “RogueWays”. The video is entitled “Not a Pandemic”. Within the first few minutes of the YouTube video, the theory that 5G is causing illness is suggested. The video goes on, in detail, to argue that Coronavirus illness is not caused by a virus.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 3 (08/04/2020):
A user suggests that sunlight can kill the virus.
It cannot (https://eu.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/03/30/fact-check-sunlight-does-not-kill-new-coronavirus/2931170001/).
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 4 (08/04/2020):
Another user suggests that sunlight can kill the virus.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 2:
Blood from recovered coronavirus victims helps patient come off ventilator in just two days
Comment 1 (08/04/2020):
Under this story a user posts the fake news that Bill Gates patented a Coronavirus strain. When this is challenged (the respondent is also incorrect - the charity does not belong to Bill Gates and was not founded by him - it is an independent charity which received some funding for other projects from the Foundation founded by Bill and Melinda Gates), the commenter doubles down to suggest there is some secretive committee, including George Soros and possibly the Clintons, which are powerful and influential enough to avoid media scrutiny. Anti-Semitic conspiracy theories often rely on this fiction - and almost always include reference to Soros.
Full Fact: https://fullfact.org/online/wuhan-virus-patent-gates/
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (08/04/2020):
A commenter says that the 2003 SARS disease was produced in a lab, suggesting it was intended for use as a bio-weapon. SARS (the outbreak began in 2002) is understood to have originated in animals. A later spate of infections may have begun with contact with the virus in a lab, but it was not being “produced”.
NHS on the origins of 2003 SARS:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sars/
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 3 (08/04/2020):
A commenter states that China is in possession of a vaccine, which they had “long before the virus was released”. This is double fake news - that there is a vaccine possessed by China and the implication the virus was “released”/developed by China. The commenter goes on to say North Korea is also benefiting from the vaccine, and repeats that China may have vaccinated its population.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 3:
Apple's 5G iPhone launch faces delay
Comment 1 (08/04/2020):
A commenter states that 5G will lead to “deaths” - repeating fake news that 5G technology is dangerous.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (08/04/2020):
The commenter refers to the “5G Space Appeal” - a petition arguing 5G is dangerous, which is based on widely debunked source material (much of it originating from more than 20 years ago - long before 5G technology was developed).
EU Fact Check: https://eufactcheck.eu/factcheck/mostly-false-10000-scientific-research-files-call-upon-delaying-the-implementation-of-5g-technology/
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 3 (08/04/2020):
Again, a commenter suggests 5G is unsafe.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 4:
Boris Johnson in hospital for coronavirus – everything we know on his recovery
Comment 1 (09/04/2020):
A user sets out a series of fake news conspiracy theories.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (09/04/2020):
The same user repeats their “deep state” theory.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 5:
Two million people lose their jobs in record plunge
Comment (09/04/2020):
A user shares the fake news that China invented the virus as a bioweapon, as a “deliberate attempt to destroy Western economies”.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Publication: The Mirror
Story 1:
Coronavirus crisis timeline - 100 days that changed the world
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/coronavirus-crisis-timeline-100-days-21830366#comments-section
Comment 1 (09/04/2020):
There is no credibly published evidence that USA soldiers suffered from a “White Lung illness” in connection with any visit to Wuhan.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (09/04/2020):
The fake news that the virus emerged from a lab (“bio factory”) is also repeated.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 3 (09/04/2020):
Fake news that Coronavirus is “man made” to “cull” the population receives six likes.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 4 (09/04/2020):
A user spreads the disinformation that the USA introduced the virus to China.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 5 (09/04/2020):
A commenter xenophobically states that China engineers fruit from plastic.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 6 (09/04/2020):
A user shares the fake news that China released Coronavirus into the world in retaliation for trade tariffs imposed by the US, and that China has plans to release something even more serious.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 7 (09/04/2020):
Fake news about vaccine safety is repeated here, as is the allegation that Bill Gates is somehow maliciously involved with the virus.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 2:
Coronavirus treatment possible as trial finds HIV drug is beneficial to patients
https://www.mirror.co.uk/science/coronavirus-treatment-possible-trial-finds-21839709
Comment (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus was “man made”.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 3:
COBRA to meet today over UK coronavirus lockdown - as extension looks inevitable
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/cobra-meet-today-over-uk-21837992
Comment 1 (09/04/2020):
This is a link to the video of the infamous conspiracy theorist David Icke. In the video, Icke sets out a series of wild conspiracy theories and fake news.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (09/04/2020):
Comment suggests the 9/11 attack was a hoax.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 4:
China records most coronavirus cases in six weeks amid fears of second wave
Comment (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus was “man-made”.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Story 5:
Former MI6 chief claims China 'concealed crucial information' about coronavirus outbreak
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/former-mi6-chief-claims-china-21869925#comments-section
Comment (15/04/2020):
Conspiracy theory that China released the virus deliberately.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Publication: The Daily Mail
Story 1:
Why are the people who decide the fate of the country allowed to remain SECRET?
Comment 1 (15/04/2020):
Conspiracy theory that Bill Gates is responsible for the COVID-19 outbreak, and that his team are manipulating the Government response.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 2 (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that the virus is being choreographed to block EU withdrawal.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 3 (15/04/2020):
Disinformation that “corporations/banks” own the Government, the “world government”, and are responsible for use of vaccines.
Comment remains visible, accessed 20/04/2020.
Comment 4 (15/04/2020):