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| Coronavirus: 'I faked having Covid-19 on Facebook and got arrested' | Coronavirus: 'I faked having Covid-19 on Facebook and got arrested' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Michael Lane Brandin knew his Facebook post would cause a stir. | Michael Lane Brandin knew his Facebook post would cause a stir. |
| What he didn't realise was that he'd be arrested, lose his job and face a trial that could see him behind bars. | What he didn't realise was that he'd be arrested, lose his job and face a trial that could see him behind bars. |
| It was an otherwise dull afternoon in March and the debate about how to cope with the potential outbreak of Covid-19 was all over his timeline. | It was an otherwise dull afternoon in March and the debate about how to cope with the potential outbreak of Covid-19 was all over his timeline. |
| So he decided to, in his words, "do a social experiment". | So he decided to, in his words, "do a social experiment". |
| Mr Brandin posted that he had tested positive for coronavirus. And then he added that doctors had told him the virus was now airborne. | |
| That would mean it had suddenly become far easier to catch it than by simply being too close to an infected individual who coughs or sneezes in your general direction. | That would mean it had suddenly become far easier to catch it than by simply being too close to an infected individual who coughs or sneezes in your general direction. |
| But he had made it up. | But he had made it up. |
| Mr Brandin says his point was to demonstrate that you can't always believe everything you read online. | Mr Brandin says his point was to demonstrate that you can't always believe everything you read online. |
| On Facebook, he was met with sympathy and shock. "I had quite a few reactions," he says. "A lot of friends messaged me to ask if I was OK, so I told them that it was fake." | On Facebook, he was met with sympathy and shock. "I had quite a few reactions," he says. "A lot of friends messaged me to ask if I was OK, so I told them that it was fake." |
| And while he was trying to explain the truth to upset friends, what was happening offline became far more serious. | And while he was trying to explain the truth to upset friends, what was happening offline became far more serious. |
| The fake news spread like wildfire across Tyler County, in Texas, where he lived. | The fake news spread like wildfire across Tyler County, in Texas, where he lived. |
| This was days before any lockdown had been brought in. But anxious people began to call the local hospital and ask if the news was true: how could they now protect themselves from an airborne invisible killer? | This was days before any lockdown had been brought in. But anxious people began to call the local hospital and ask if the news was true: how could they now protect themselves from an airborne invisible killer? |
| Arrest warrant | Arrest warrant |
| Soon the Typer County Sheriff's Office heard what was going on. Police contacted Mr Brandin and told him to amend his post - which he did. | Soon the Typer County Sheriff's Office heard what was going on. Police contacted Mr Brandin and told him to amend his post - which he did. |
| But the rumour had snowballed on social media - and so the next Facebook post was perhaps inevitable. It came from the police themselves. | But the rumour had snowballed on social media - and so the next Facebook post was perhaps inevitable. It came from the police themselves. |
| The county sheriff told Facebook followers that the 23-year-old was now facing the criminal allegation of false alarm. | The county sheriff told Facebook followers that the 23-year-old was now facing the criminal allegation of false alarm. |
| Mr Brandin was accused of creating a "baseless" report of an emergency which, in turn, had triggered a response from law enforcement and medical officials. He turned himself in. | Mr Brandin was accused of creating a "baseless" report of an emergency which, in turn, had triggered a response from law enforcement and medical officials. He turned himself in. |
| "They said I had to stay overnight in the jailhouse because I had to wait for the judge to come in the next day. My anxiety was at an all-time high," Brandin says. | "They said I had to stay overnight in the jailhouse because I had to wait for the judge to come in the next day. My anxiety was at an all-time high," Brandin says. |
| After a night in the cells he was released on condition of paying a $1,000 (£800) bail bond - and is now waiting for his trial to start. | After a night in the cells he was released on condition of paying a $1,000 (£800) bail bond - and is now waiting for his trial to start. |
| "I have a bachelors of science degree in mass communications," he says. "I did it to prove how easy it is for anyone to post something online and cause panic. | "I have a bachelors of science degree in mass communications," he says. "I did it to prove how easy it is for anyone to post something online and cause panic. |
| "I wanted to prove that it is important for people to be educated and do their own research before assuming everything they read or hear is true. | "I wanted to prove that it is important for people to be educated and do their own research before assuming everything they read or hear is true. |
| "But because of a Facebook post I lost my job, my health benefits. I couldn't start my masters programme on time due to not having the money. | "But because of a Facebook post I lost my job, my health benefits. I couldn't start my masters programme on time due to not having the money. |
| "It has put a financial burden on my entire family because they are all trying to help me pay my bills." | "It has put a financial burden on my entire family because they are all trying to help me pay my bills." |
| Global 'infodemic' | Global 'infodemic' |
| The World Health Organization has said there is an online "infodemic" and the stakes are high for authorities trying to tackle false pandemic news and prevent panic. | The World Health Organization has said there is an online "infodemic" and the stakes are high for authorities trying to tackle false pandemic news and prevent panic. |
| All over the world posting misinformation about the virus could now get you arrested. | All over the world posting misinformation about the virus could now get you arrested. |
| There has been reports of arrests for spreading fake news in India, Morocco, Thailand, Cambodia, Somalia, Ethiopia, Singapore, Botswana, Russia, South Africa - and Kenya. | There has been reports of arrests for spreading fake news in India, Morocco, Thailand, Cambodia, Somalia, Ethiopia, Singapore, Botswana, Russia, South Africa - and Kenya. |
| There, Robert Alai is facing a potential 10-year jail sentence for a tweet. | There, Robert Alai is facing a potential 10-year jail sentence for a tweet. |
| The 41-year-old claimed in a post that he'd heard there was an outbreak in Mombasa, the strategically vital port for east Africa. | The 41-year-old claimed in a post that he'd heard there was an outbreak in Mombasa, the strategically vital port for east Africa. |
| But the Kenyan government has repeatedly appealed to the public to stop sharing false information and rumours, and warned it would make an example of anyone who didn't comply. | But the Kenyan government has repeatedly appealed to the public to stop sharing false information and rumours, and warned it would make an example of anyone who didn't comply. |
| And so Mr Alai is now accused of breaking Kenya's cyber crime laws. | And so Mr Alai is now accused of breaking Kenya's cyber crime laws. |
| He denies setting out to mislead or create fake news and says he was shocked to be crammed in a cell with other inmates where none of them could be two metres apart. | He denies setting out to mislead or create fake news and says he was shocked to be crammed in a cell with other inmates where none of them could be two metres apart. |
| "I'm not saying that they shouldn't arrest people and I think it's very important the police can do their work but I think they need to focus on the right people." | "I'm not saying that they shouldn't arrest people and I think it's very important the police can do their work but I think they need to focus on the right people." |