isinfo about the government’s handling of the outbreak risks derailing the public health response

Medium
Date: Jun 22, 2020

As part of our effort to broaden expertise and understanding of information ecosystems around the world, the DFRLab is publishing this external contribution. The views and assessments in this analysis do not necessarily represent those of the DFRLab.

Since COVID-19 broke out in Taiwan in late January, a surge of disinformation has emerged surrounding the current status of the outbreak and the government’s management of it. Social media posts and messages have spread claims that the Taiwanese government is covering up the number of coronavirus infections in the country. The number of purported cases in these posts range from a daily increase of a couple of hundred to several thousand. According to latest statistics from Taiwan’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), as of June 22, 2020, there have been 446 confirmed infections and seven deaths.

Main disinformation narratives circulating in Taiwan

Disinformation in Taiwan regarding the coronavirus outbreak has typically targeted the government’s handling of it, alleging that the coronavirus is out of control in the country or that public health officials are concealing the number of cases.    [FULL  STORY]