Kenyans to be fined $50,000 for coronavirus rumours

Kenyans risk being fined $50,000 (£39,000) or be jailed for two years for publishing or sharing fake news about outbreak of coronavirus.

The country has no confirmed case of the virus, although a high court judge last week temporarily suspended all direct flights from China after public fears over the virus.

The authorities say they have enhanced monitoring of social media and other digital platforms to check the spread of misinformation about coronavirus.

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna said detectives from the cybercrime unit are analysing content shared online for investigation, arrest and prosecution of those culpable.

Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes law, criminalises sharing of false, misleading or fictitious information and stipulates a fine of 5m Kenyan shillings ($50,000) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.

The country has been grappling with cases of false alerts being shared on social media.

There was a public uproar on Monday after a four-minute clip was circulated widely giving the false impression that the government had confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the country.

The ministry of health later said the leaked clip was from a simulation event held over the weekend.

source: BBC