Kominfo Finds 1,991 Hoax Issues Related To COVID-19

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology of the Republic of Indonesia stated that there were 1,991 COVID-19 hoax issues in 5,131 social media uploads during the period from January 23, 2020, to November 18, 2021.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, Dedy Permadi, said the COVID-19 hoax was spread on Facebook with a total of 4,432 uploads. Disconnection has been carried out on 5,004 uploads and another 127 uploads are being followed up.

"Secondly, for the issue of the COVID-19 vaccination hoax, there were 390 issues in 2,425 social media uploads with the highest number of distributions on Facebook as many as 2,233. Access has been cut off for the 2,425 uploads," said Dedy in a press release "Rejecting the COVID-19 Hoax" quoted Between, Thursday, November 19.

For issues related to the PPKM hoax, there were 48 issues in 1,167 social media uploads with the most distribution on Facebook as many as 1,149. Access was terminated for 1,003 uploads and another 164 uploads are being followed up.

In the period from November 4 to November 11, there was no increase in hoax issues and there was a decrease in the number of hoax content spreading on social media.

"For the COVID-19 hoax issue, this week there were 8 additional issues and 32 hoax uploads. In the previous week, the number of COVID-19 issues increased by 12 issues and 34 hoax uploads," said Dedy.

Regarding the issue of the COVID-19 vaccination hoax, this week there were 8 additional issues and 27 hoax uploads. In the previous week, the number of COVID-19 vaccination issues increased by 8 issues and 32 hoax uploads.

Dedy said this week there were no additional hoax issues related to PPKM. However, there were additional issues with 27 hoax uploads.

"In the previous week, there was no increase in PPKM issues, but there was an increase in content of 30 hoax uploads," said Dedy.

Some examples of hoax issues over the past week out of a total of 16 hoax content issues that added from November 11 to November 18 2021 are disinformation regarding the COVID-19 poster inviting parents to donate their children's organs on November 11, 2021.

"In fact, the poster is the result of an alteration and is not true at all," said Dedy.

On the same date, fake news spread about the country of Japan which decided to stop the COVID-19 vaccination program and chose ivermectin as a drug that can stop the COVID-19 disease overnight.

"On November 13, 2021, hoaxes circulated on Facebook social media claiming that people who were injected with vaccines tended to experience mental and physical changes," said Dedy.

On the same date, a video narrative appeared circulating on social media in the form of a foreign language video clip claiming that the COVID-19 swab test was a disguised vaccination.

As for November 16, 2021, the outstanding issue is that the wife of the CEO of Pfizer, a COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing company, died due to vaccine complications.

"The pandemic still exists, the virus is still stalking all of us, but by stopping the spread of COVID-19 hoaxes, carrying out digital literacy, being enthusiastic about vaccinations, and implementing joint health protocols, we are able to suppress the spread of COVID-19," said Dedy.