Parul University lodged a cyber crime complaint over a fake message circulating on social media that two students had tested positive for COVID-19
According to the management, some miscreants made a letterhead with Parul University logo and the name Social Welfare club of Parul University mentioning name of two students who have been tested positive for corona positive.
University has made it clear that there are no students with the name mentioned in the circular, also there is no club with the name Social Welfare club of Parul University. In the complaint University Management has accused them for spreading misinformation, thereby creating panic among students, parents, and staff.
For such crime, accuse will be charged under the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897 for spreading false information and rumors.
As these types of messages go viral, they trigger panic and authorities have warned that there will be a strict inquiry setup and if found guilty the accused may be jailed up for upto one year.
These cases provide examples of how, as the novel coronavirus spreads across the globe, and out of control fire of bogus and unsubstantiated data about the pandemic is following afterward. On widely used messaging services like WhatsApp, well-intentioned yet fearful individuals are forwarding messages that have misleading or made-up unprecedented information. While some cases range from warnings over made-up extraordinary measures governments might take to keep people in their homes to false numbers of deaths and the level of preparedness of medical services.
