AN SNP MP has written a letter to the bosses of Twitter, Facebook and Google, asking them to "act responsibly" over misinformation about coronavirus.
Glasgow South MP Stewart McDonald posted the letter on his Twitter account.
It noted that "information is critical in ensuring people are kept safe" and social media platforms must be "kept as clean as possible and not weaponised to spread false information".
The full letter said: "As the world continues to battle with COVID-19, information is critical in ensuring people are kept safe and helps ensure all of us can effectively play our part in stemming the spread of the virus.
"Social media platforms such as your own are critical in ensuring the flow of official public health guidance – which is often changing rapidly – and making sure people are as up to date as possible as international, national and local authorities adapt to changing circumstances.
"As well as being critical for public health guidance, social media will play a crucial part in ensuring information is as localised as possible and is accessible in local communities. I know from my own role as a constituency member of parliament how important this is, and it will be ever more important as more people go into periods of self-isolation.
"It is therefore necessary that social media platforms – a key part of the information space – are kept as clean as possible and are not weaponised to spread false information which could endanger lives or cause unnecessary panic and alarm.
"Although this is not a new problem for social media platforms, during an international pandemic it is vital that efforts to combat the spread of disinformation are heightened.
Today I’ve written to the chief executives of @Twitter, @Facebook and @Google, calling on them to enable better disinformation reporting mechanisms for users aswell as simple guidance for the public to help better identify misinformation and disinformation regarding #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/nzs8qjcrlc
— Stewart McDonald MP (@StewartMcDonald) March 16, 2020
"I am therefore asking that you publish clear guidance for your users to help them better identify misinformation and disinformation. Platforms should also enable easier reporting mechanisms to allow users to bring cases of misinformation and disinformation related to COVID-19 to your attention so that suitable action can be taken.
"There is clearly a strong need and desire amongst the public for tougher action to root out those seeking to cause chaos and alarm with the spread of false information and conspiracy theories that are designed to sow confusion, cause panic and potentially endanger lives.
"An aggressive, proactive protection of the information space from attacks by bad actors, whilst staying true to the value of free speech, debate and public scrutiny, helps everyone and I hope you will recognise the important part your company has to play in achieving this.
"In the fast-changing circumstances that this pandemic has brought us we all have a responsibility to act responsibly and for the common good.
"I hope you will play your part and act swiftly."
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