[ad_1]
SINGAPORE: The Government is “actively monitoring” misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and “will not hesitate to use the full force of the law” when necessary, the Minister of Communications and Information said on Tuesday (February 2), S. Iswaran.
Over the past year, the government responded to more than 60 instances of speculation, rumors, scams and outright falsehoods about the new coronavirus through a series of actions.
They included public communications to legislative levers, including the Protection Against Falsehood and Online Tampering Act (POFMA).
“Disinformation is a serious challenge in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mr. Iswaran, in response to a question from Member of Parliament He Ting Ru (WP-Sengkang) on whether the POFMA office was taking measures to deal with misinformation about COVID-19 and related vaccines.
READ: The government has discredited 40 cases of fake news about COVID-19: Iswaran
The minister said that providing Singaporeans with accurate updates from trusted sources in a timely and transparent manner was a key focus of the government.
For example, information and clarifications are regularly transmitted through the media, government websites, social media, and the Gov.sg channel on WhatsApp and Telegram channels.
When it comes to the vaccination program, public education is key, Iswaran said.
Essential information about COVID-19 vaccines is already being communicated across multiple platforms and languages to reach all segments of society.
The Government has also worked with leading technology companies to ensure that authoritative sources, including the Ministry of Health website, are featured prominently on their platforms.
READ: ‘Steady wave’ of fake news on coronavirus in the region: Facebook fact checker
As the Senior Vaccination Program gets underway, Community Volunteers from the Popular Association and Silver Generation Ambassadors will conduct home visits to address questions seniors may have about the COVID-19 vaccine. and the vaccination program.
“We want to strengthen our resistance against vaccine misinformation by improving understanding of COVID-19 vaccines and debunking falsehoods, so Singaporeans can make informed decisions for the safety and health of themselves, their loved ones, and the community. Iswaran said.
He added: “We are also actively monitoring vaccine-related misinformation; where there is cause for action, we will not hesitate to use the full force of the law.”
The minister stressed that the public has a responsibility to stop the spread of misinformation.
“We must verify that the information we receive comes from reliable sources, make an effort to verify before sharing, and not share unverified information,” he said.
“It is vital, especially in these times of crisis, that each of us do the right thing.”
CHECK THIS: Our comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak and its developments
Download our app or subscribe to our Telegram channel for the latest updates on the coronavirus outbreak: https://cna.asia/telegram
