Islanders urged to be wary of fake information online

23 November 2020

Islanders are being encouraged to protect themselves against false information online. A campaign is being launched today to help Islanders identify fake accounts on social media and check the source of the information they are sharing.

As well as being a platform to connect with friends and family, social media is increasingly used as a place to provide updates and accurate information, especially following the outbreak of COVID-19.

However, given the saturation of information, facts, and opinion available online, Islanders are being urged to take simple steps to check the information they read:

Check if the account the information is coming from is real. Many people choose not to share all their personal information online, and that is ok. But some profiles take advantage of this and use fake accounts to share fake information. Fake accounts on social media often have no photos of real people, have no friends, a high volume of followers but no likes, comments or conversations.
If you’re not sure if something is true, check if the information has come from a trustworthy source and always rely on official sources.
Search www.gov.je to find the latest information from the Government.

Any updates from the Government of Jersey will always be posted on the Government of Jersey website and shared on social media by official Government of Jersey accounts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

The Government website gov.je is a source of credible and trusted information, and Islanders should use it to check the validity of facts.

Assistant Chief Minister, Constable Richard Buchanan said: “Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Government has recognised that social media can help us get important information and updates to the public in a quick and accessible way.

“Social media does have its limitations, and in an Island as small as Jersey, false information can be spread relatively easily. This can cause distress to vulnerable people who need accurate and up-to-date information. I’d urge all Islanders to fact check the information they read online and help us to keep the public informed and up-to-date.”