"Person Collapsed at OO Station" 'Wuhan Pneumonia' Rumors Spread... Fake News Runs Rampant

Rumors of Wuhan Pneumonia Spread via Twitter and Other SNS
Government Intensifies Fake News Monitoring

On the afternoon of the 27th, when the fourth domestic case of the novel coronavirus infection known as 'Wuhan pneumonia' was confirmed, foreign tourists wearing masks were walking along the streets of Myeongdong, Jung-gu.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon] As concerns over the novel coronavirus infection (Wuhan pneumonia) grow, fake news and various rumors are spreading online, increasing public anxiety.

Some argue that the lack of accurate information may be causing confirmation bias, suggesting that fake news surrounding Wuhan pneumonia is likely to continue for some time. The government has decided to closely monitor fake news and related content.

On the 26th, posts appeared on social networks (SNS) such as Twitter and Facebook, as well as various online communities, stating, "There has been a death due to coronavirus infection in the Incheon area." However, this was confirmed to be completely false. Currently, deaths from Wuhan pneumonia have only been reported in China.

Recently, a video titled "A person collapsed in front of OO today and was taken away by 119" was uploaded on Facebook. The poster explained, "A woman collapsed while walking." However, it has not yet been confirmed whether the collapse was due to 'Wuhan pneumonia.' The post has rapidly spread with over 3,000 comments, more than 50 shares, and around 500 likes.

Additionally, a video claiming that there are 90,000 confirmed pneumonia cases is circulating on YouTube. However, this is also false. As of 8 p.m. on the 27th, the National Health Commission of China (NHC) announced that 2,840 confirmed cases of Wuhan pneumonia have been reported across 30 provinces nationwide, with 81 deaths.

Confirmed cases of Wuhan pneumonia outside China are reported as follows: ▲Thailand 8 ▲United States 5 ▲Australia 5 ▲South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia 4 each ▲France 3.

Amid the occurrence of the fourth confirmed case of the novel coronavirus infection known as 'Wuhan pneumonia' in South Korea, visitors wearing masks are seen at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul on the afternoon of the 27th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, reports lacking causal evidence are also continuing. On the 25th (local time), the UK's Daily Mail reported the possibility that the novel coronavirus leaked from a research facility in Wuhan and mutated.

The media emphasized that the research institute is about 32 km away from the Huanan Seafood Market, known as the epicenter of the outbreak, and that in 2004, the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) virus leaked from a Beijing research institute. However, the article provides no evidence regarding the virus's creation or leakage. This article is currently being shared through domestic internet communities.

As fake pneumonia news spreads mainly through SNS, causing controversy, some have expressed that the lack of prompt information delivery leads them to trust such sources.

A man in his early 40s, office worker A, said, "I trust the government, but information shared through YouTube or Twitter is faster," adding, "Since the situation is unsettling, I can't just ignore it." He continued, "Also, I have no choice but to trust information from acquaintances in places like Seoul and Busan."

Another office worker in his 30s, B, said, "I hope the government considers why fake news spreads so quickly," and added, "I hope they quickly alleviate the anxiety and fear."

Meanwhile, the Korea Communications Standards Commission (KCSC) will intensively monitor fake news related to the novel coronavirus. On the 27th, the KCSC announced that it will focus on monitoring whether false information unrelated to the novel coronavirus infection is being indiscriminately disseminated online.

The KCSC will take measures to delete posts on domestic sites containing unrelated information about the novel coronavirus. It also urged internet and portal companies to strengthen voluntary prevention activities to prevent the spread of similar false information.

A KCSC official stated, "Information causing social confusion related to the novel coronavirus is likely to expand from online spaces to offline spaces," and urged, "Voluntary self-purification efforts by internet users and operators are urgently needed."