Police in Spain’s Estepona Warn Residents About Fake News That Claims Going for Walks Is Now Allowed

THE National Police in Estepona have once again had to disprove a piece of fake news circulating on WhatsApp which stated that Estepona was allowing residents to take walks around the town in groups of two if they both had face masks and respected the 1.5m safety distance from each other.

Similarly, the Estepona Town Hall had to post on their social media that this news is fake and should not be shared. Furthermore, it requested that the information about this being fake news be translated to neighbours and friends who may think otherwise. They reiterate the importance of seeking out legitimate sources of information during the health crisis.

Last Monday there was also another harmful piece of fake news going around which stated that employees of a specific supermarket were infected by the coronavirus; a totally false claim.

The National Police has pleaded to citizens to not share information which has not come from a verified and legitimate source in order to avoid unnecessary panic amongst resident.

In order to help with this recurring problem, the police have created a five-point checklist to determine fake news:

1. Know the source of the information, look online to see if the information has been backed by legitimate sources, if it is true and if it is relevant and recent news.
2. Compare this news to sources which you do trust or official sources
3. Stay away from screenshots
4. Identify any sponsorships to contextualise the message
5. Avoid spreading the disinformation