MANILA, Philippines — Fake news travels faster than real news, according to a 2018 study of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now, those engaged in spreading fake news are “moving faster than the [new corona] virus itself,” Malacañang said on Monday.

“Those who spread fake news should have themselves disinfected,” Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said in a text message.

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“The virus is worried and sees them as competitors, and is now looking for them. Watch out!” he added.

Medialdea made the remarks hours after the Palace and state agencies denied rumors that a nationwide lockdown would be imposed next week as part of the government’s response to the new coronavirus pandemic.

‘You are not helping’

The fake message made the rounds on social media on Sunday night. It read: “Malacañang will announce that there will be a nationwide lockdown next week to include all wet markets to stop people from going about… Food will be rationed every three days. That’s why here in Manila they’re distributing passes. Advice is to stock food for two weeks.”

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said this was “absolutely not true.”

At a public briefing on Monday, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said, “Law enforcement agencies are going after those spreading fake news, so you better stop what you’re doing. You are not helping.”

“We are in a state of calamity so we can slap the maximum penalty against you,” warned Nograles, spokesperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Tips to stop fake news

Deliberate efforts to mislead can endanger public health, sow confusion and fear, and prevent important information from reaching people during a crisis. Here are some things that can be done to separate fact from misinformation:

Look for the source. Be wary of important-sounding information that is not coming from a clear, authoritative source, such as local government agencies and health departments, or national and international public health institutes such as the World Health Organization (WHO). But also be mindful of scammers taking advantage of these trusted names.

Act like a journalist. Be wary of information from groups or news organizations you don’t know—in some cases the groups behind misinformation create websites and social media accounts that look like a legitimate news organization. Remember that there’s a difference between news stories and opinion pieces. News stories should include the source of the information. If there’s no source or attribution, be suspicious.

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Journalists also seek to confirm information from multiple sources. Even if a news outlet is at first alone in reporting a big development, others will soon follow. If this doesn’t happen, it could be a red flag.

Don’t believe everything you see. Photos and videos can be altered and real images can be presented out of context. Again, it helps to look for the source. Google’s reverse image search can help find the origins of a photo. For videos, take a look at who uploaded it—was it a random user? A news outlet?

Pause, take a breath. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and retweet a terrifying headline before reading the accompanying article. But pausing before reposting can save you from embarrassment and prevent falsehoods from spreading farther.

—With a report from AP

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