This is no joking matter.
Some countries in Asia have threatened jail time for anyone planning coronavirus-related April Fools’ Day pranks.
Thailand on Tuesday warned that anybody joking about the virus could face up to five years prison time.
“It’s against the law to fake having COVID-19 this April Fools’ Day,” the government said on Twitter.
The cybersecurity unit of India’s Maharashtra state said anybody spreading fake coronavirus news would face legal action.
“The state govt won’t allow anyone to spread rumors/panic on #Corona,” Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh tweeted. He added that authorities were instructed to “act swiftly & strongly (against) such miscreants”.
And in Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen said in a Facebook post that anybody disseminating false information about the illness could face three years behind bars and a fine of nearly $100,000.
The World Health Organization has called the spread of coronavirus misinformation circulating on the internet an “infodemic.”
The international agency said the spread of myths related to the virus could increase the risk of vulnerable people contracting the illness.
With Post Wires
