Coronavirus: MPs slam government over delay in tackling disinformation
The government's new counter disinformation unit was set up months after the first lies began to spread about the virus outbreak.
Tuesday 17 March 2020 12:49, UK
MPs have written to the government to ask why it has only now established a counter disinformation unit despite lies being spread about the coronavirus since January.
The specialist unit was announced earlier this month to work with social media companies to limit spreading online which could impact attempts to keep people safe from COVID-19.
Even the (NCSC) made a rare announcement to warn the public about criminals who are using the coronavirus outbreak to launch online attacks.
In a letter to the Oliver Dowden, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport (DCMS), the chair of parliament's DCMS committee asked why it had taken the government so long to establish the unit.
"We've known since January about deliberate attempts to spread fear and falsehoods on social media about coronavirus, with potentially serious outcomes," wrote Julian Knight MP.
"We support the government's decision to tackle disinformation and misinformation about COVID -19 at this critical time but question why it has taken so long for ministers to set this up.
"We want reassurance that the Counter Disinformation Unit will be working closely with social media companies to ensure that people receive vitally important and accurate information and can trust what they see online."
He asked for an explanation of how the unit was being staffed and what its expertise was in tackling disinformation, purposefully misleading information, and misinformation, which is mistakenly misleading.
Sky News understands there are several units across government which track disinformation in the UK, many receiving greater focus following the attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, although pre-existing units had tackled Islamic State propaganda.
These units detected 47 false narratives spread by Russian authorities and state-owned media organisations following the use of the novichok poison, all seeking to undermine claims that Russian military intelligence operatives were behind the attack.
The has also teamed up with web companies to tackle coronavirus misinformation, including dealing with fake Twitter accounts and misleading claims about homeopathic treatments.
Google, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are working with the health service to help the public get accurate information and avoid myths and misinformation.