Fake News
by Christian Soncuya
In our current time, information is easily accessible to anyone and everyone. But not all information online are true. Anyone can write and post online on various platforms and social mediums. While a lot of information may be true, there are definitely lots of false information. This is where “fake news” or false information comes to play.
In the Philippines, most people spend about 9.45 hours online. In that time frame, about 3.53 hours on social media based on a research done in 2019. This makes it easy to be exposed to fake news.
Fake news can be very dangerous, especially when it spreads.
These are coronil tablets said to be “immunity boosters” against COVID-19. These were found in shops in London and originated from India.
Patanjali Ayurved is a big healthcare brand found in India with a huge following. They are the ones spreading this false information that coronil tablets help fight against the disease. They claim that the tablets protect one from respiratory tract infections.
After tests done by Brimingham University, it was proven that these tablets do not do anything against the disease. There are also no proven facts that coronil would help fight coronavirus, despite the claims the brand has.
Misinformation like this affect people’s health, views, and finances. After all, everyone is desperate to find a solution or protection against the coronavirus. People are likely to spend a lot, only to find out these are fake.
