Internet giants fight spread of false claims

As the novel coronavirus spreads globally, the battle to counter misinformation on the internet about the disease is also stepping up.

Google, Facebook and other platforms are struggling to keep ahead of scammers, trolls, and others with ill intent who routinely use major tragedies or disasters as opportunities to swindle or manipulate people.

Internet companies took part in a meeting with the World Health Organization last week at Facebook's office in Silicon Valley to discuss tactics such as promoting reliable sources of information and the fact-checking of dubious claims about the coronavirus.

"(We must) combat the spread of rumors and misinformation," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said recently.

"To that end, we have worked with Google to make sure people searching for information about coronavirus see WHO information at the top of their search results."

Google's search engine ranks authoritative sources higher when people are seeking information on health and labels results or news stories that have been fact-checked.

Facebook said recently that it is focusing on claims which, if relied on, could increase the likelihood of someone getting sick or not getting proper treatment.

"This includes claims related to false cures or prevention methods－like drinking bleach cures the coronavirus－or claims that create confusion about health resources that are available," said Kang-xing Jin, Facebook's head of health.

Agencies Via Xinhua