‘Forward messages on Nipah only after checking authenticity’
…say experts on the adverse impact of social media forwards
Anjana.George@timesgroup.com 25.05.2018
Panic is palpable, especially in the northern parts of Kerala. People have been abandoning fully ripe jackfruits and mangoes that they have been waiting to relish. Some who had consumed a few are having sleepless nights. As the toll because of the till-now-unheard-of Nipah virus reached double digits in Kozhikode and Malappuram, a kind of fear psychosis has set in among ordinary citizens.
While the health department and health professionals have been striving to contain the new disease from spreading to other areas, some who are ‘share happy’ have been doing a disservice by disseminating falsehoods and halftruths through the social media.
“If we go by the forwards and posts that are doing the rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp, we will simply die of fear,” says Sajina Rakesh from Kozhikode who lives near the medical college. Besides forwards and videos, even trolls are trying to cash in on the situation that seems straight out of a Hollywood movie like Contagion that revolves around the sudden spread of a virus, throwing society into extreme panic.
“It is a crucial time for us. Instead of spreading panic, this is the time to be alert and join the fight against Nipah,” says Dr Jineesh P S, a member of Info Clinic, a social media group started by 32 doctors to debunk fake health news.
‘Think of the social media implication before sharing Nipah forwards’
“We can use social media productively or to spread wrong information. It is unfortunate that those who are using it productively have less reach and those who are misusing it are receiving a lot of attention. Today, we found a video posted by a person named Mohanan Vaidyar which shows him consuming fruits that are supposedly eaten partially by bats, gaining thousands of shares within hours. In Kerala, there are a total of 56 species of bats where six of the species are fruit bats. Just because he is unharmed after eating a fruit partially consumed by bats, it doesn’t mean that there is no such virus. It is a precautionary measure to not eat fruits that are bitten by bats. So, isn’t it unfair to disseminate such false information when we are supposed to join the fight against the unexpected virus attack,” asks the doctor. “The government must take strong action against people who are creating and spreading similar misleading information at a crucial juncture like this,” he adds.
Jineesh, whose team has approached the authorities to stop people from circulating inaccurate information, goes on to add that it is equally wrong for anybody to start killing the bats, which feed on moths and mosquitoes. ‘“If bats are eliminated, these pests will thrive and more diseases will pop up next year. It is also wrong to blame migrant labourers for the spread of the virus.”
Another myth that Jineesh wants to debunk is the claim by some that modern medicine has no cure for Nipah virus. “This isn’t right at all. When we say that there is 70 per cent mortality rate, we should also know that it can be cured up to 40 to 60 per cent using the available technology and medicines. Some alternative medicine practitioners are trying to make a fast buck by claiming that they have remedies. People have to remember that only when they approach the hospitals can the professionals do the needful. All we could do right now is to maintain hygiene and support the rest,” he says.
Law academician Veena Rohan from Kochi agrees that it is high time authorities cracked down on those who misuse social media. “As we all know, it is not possible to lay down how much and what kind of information can be passed over the social media.”
However, as responsible citizens, we should have some ethics not to create unnecessary panic by sending unauthorised information via social media. The authenticity of the information should be checked before sharing or disseminating it. While we have right to information, there are reasonable restrictions also. The one who passes wrong information can be punished. Practitioners of fake cures can be punished under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. It regulates advertising of drugs in India. It prohibits advertisements of drugs and remedies that claim to have magical properties and makes doing so a cognisable offense. The penalty carries a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment with or without fine on first conviction. In case of any subsequent conviction, the term may be up to a year,” she says.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra has instructed the cyber police to file cases against people spreading false news about Nipah virus. P S Rajashekaran, Deputy Director, Police Information Centre, Thiruvanathapuram explains that the group admins of Whatsapp should scrutinise the information dispersed in their groups. Also, every individual has to take a personal responsibility to verify the authenticity and social implication of the messages before passing them on. “There was a social media post saying that there are travel restrictions in Kerala. This is completely false. There is no advisory to curb travel. Kerala is perfectly safe. All we have asked is to take precautions. Strict action will be taken against those sharing or posting such messages. Kerala Police has started the enquiry and cases will be filed under IT Act and IPC,” he says.
Dr Jineesh concludes: “Though Kerala boasts of a high literacy rate, this shows that we still lack a scientific outlook. With a lot of hard work, we had eradicated communicable diseases like malaria and diphtheria but thanks to the anti-MR vaccine campaign by certain sections through social media, we diagnosed a child recently as having diphtheria. If people work against the campaigns by the health departments, epidemics will return,” he says.
Family members of the patients admitted at the Kozhikode Medical College
…say experts on the adverse impact of social media forwards
Anjana.George@timesgroup.com 25.05.2018
Panic is palpable, especially in the northern parts of Kerala. People have been abandoning fully ripe jackfruits and mangoes that they have been waiting to relish. Some who had consumed a few are having sleepless nights. As the toll because of the till-now-unheard-of Nipah virus reached double digits in Kozhikode and Malappuram, a kind of fear psychosis has set in among ordinary citizens.
While the health department and health professionals have been striving to contain the new disease from spreading to other areas, some who are ‘share happy’ have been doing a disservice by disseminating falsehoods and halftruths through the social media.
“If we go by the forwards and posts that are doing the rounds on Facebook and WhatsApp, we will simply die of fear,” says Sajina Rakesh from Kozhikode who lives near the medical college. Besides forwards and videos, even trolls are trying to cash in on the situation that seems straight out of a Hollywood movie like Contagion that revolves around the sudden spread of a virus, throwing society into extreme panic.
“It is a crucial time for us. Instead of spreading panic, this is the time to be alert and join the fight against Nipah,” says Dr Jineesh P S, a member of Info Clinic, a social media group started by 32 doctors to debunk fake health news.
‘Think of the social media implication before sharing Nipah forwards’
“We can use social media productively or to spread wrong information. It is unfortunate that those who are using it productively have less reach and those who are misusing it are receiving a lot of attention. Today, we found a video posted by a person named Mohanan Vaidyar which shows him consuming fruits that are supposedly eaten partially by bats, gaining thousands of shares within hours. In Kerala, there are a total of 56 species of bats where six of the species are fruit bats. Just because he is unharmed after eating a fruit partially consumed by bats, it doesn’t mean that there is no such virus. It is a precautionary measure to not eat fruits that are bitten by bats. So, isn’t it unfair to disseminate such false information when we are supposed to join the fight against the unexpected virus attack,” asks the doctor. “The government must take strong action against people who are creating and spreading similar misleading information at a crucial juncture like this,” he adds.
Jineesh, whose team has approached the authorities to stop people from circulating inaccurate information, goes on to add that it is equally wrong for anybody to start killing the bats, which feed on moths and mosquitoes. ‘“If bats are eliminated, these pests will thrive and more diseases will pop up next year. It is also wrong to blame migrant labourers for the spread of the virus.”
Another myth that Jineesh wants to debunk is the claim by some that modern medicine has no cure for Nipah virus. “This isn’t right at all. When we say that there is 70 per cent mortality rate, we should also know that it can be cured up to 40 to 60 per cent using the available technology and medicines. Some alternative medicine practitioners are trying to make a fast buck by claiming that they have remedies. People have to remember that only when they approach the hospitals can the professionals do the needful. All we could do right now is to maintain hygiene and support the rest,” he says.
Law academician Veena Rohan from Kochi agrees that it is high time authorities cracked down on those who misuse social media. “As we all know, it is not possible to lay down how much and what kind of information can be passed over the social media.”
However, as responsible citizens, we should have some ethics not to create unnecessary panic by sending unauthorised information via social media. The authenticity of the information should be checked before sharing or disseminating it. While we have right to information, there are reasonable restrictions also. The one who passes wrong information can be punished. Practitioners of fake cures can be punished under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. It regulates advertising of drugs in India. It prohibits advertisements of drugs and remedies that claim to have magical properties and makes doing so a cognisable offense. The penalty carries a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment with or without fine on first conviction. In case of any subsequent conviction, the term may be up to a year,” she says.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that Kerala Police chief Loknath Behra has instructed the cyber police to file cases against people spreading false news about Nipah virus. P S Rajashekaran, Deputy Director, Police Information Centre, Thiruvanathapuram explains that the group admins of Whatsapp should scrutinise the information dispersed in their groups. Also, every individual has to take a personal responsibility to verify the authenticity and social implication of the messages before passing them on. “There was a social media post saying that there are travel restrictions in Kerala. This is completely false. There is no advisory to curb travel. Kerala is perfectly safe. All we have asked is to take precautions. Strict action will be taken against those sharing or posting such messages. Kerala Police has started the enquiry and cases will be filed under IT Act and IPC,” he says.
Dr Jineesh concludes: “Though Kerala boasts of a high literacy rate, this shows that we still lack a scientific outlook. With a lot of hard work, we had eradicated communicable diseases like malaria and diphtheria but thanks to the anti-MR vaccine campaign by certain sections through social media, we diagnosed a child recently as having diphtheria. If people work against the campaigns by the health departments, epidemics will return,” he says.
Family members of the patients admitted at the Kozhikode Medical College
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