Army of ‘coronavirus bots’ on Twitter are spreading fake news and scare stories about COVID-19
SOCIAL media platforms have been inundated with bots trying to spread fake coronavirus news.
Tech giants including Facebook, Reddit, Google, Microsoft, Twitter and YouTube have said they're working to remove the misinformation but users should still be cautious.
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It stated: "Evidence of organised social media manipulation campaigns which have taken place in 70 countries, up from 48 countries in 2018 and 28 countries in 2017.
"In each country, there is at least one political party or government agency using social media to shape public attitudes domestically."
Ko found several accounts spreading fake information about anxiety-inducing things like loved ones not being treated fairly.
He also found concerning examples of real users interacting with bots.
How to spot a bot
Some telltale signs of bots include not having a profile picture and not having any followers.
The account may only have a few tweets and no last name or a username full of numbers.
You should also check if the account was only made recently.
Bots tend to only follow things like official government accounts or influencers.
How to avoid falling foul of coronavirus scams
Here's what Javvad Malik, a cyber-expert at KnowBe4, told the Sun...
- "During the pandemic, we've seen a sharp rise in criminals trying to extort money or install malware on computers and mobiles through deceptive means.
- "Email is the most popular, but we've also seen a rise in the number of fraudulent text messages being sent.
- "People should remain sceptical and not click on links directly, particularly if there are demands for payment.
- "When in doubt, visit the government website directly to look for information.
- "Organisations should also educate their staff in how they will contact and convey information to them so they are not fooled by criminals posing to be from work."
In other news, a fake 'UK Government' text is attempting to swindle victims out of money using coronavirus fears.
A new Snapchat social distancing filter reminds you to keep clear of others when out in public.
A simple WhatsApp scam that hijacks your account is doing the rounds again.
Have you spotted any coronavirus scams? Let us know in the comments...
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