Authorities tracking down fake news starters
Digital Economy and Society Minister Buddhipongse Punakanta said on Tuesday (December 17) that his ministry was investigating cases where fake news were fabricated and circulated on the Internet.
“Among the top fake news lately are a tax hike on sanitary pads and the announcement of an emergency decree in Bangkok – both are groundless,” he insisted.
Buddhipongse said the anti-fake news centre is working with police to track down starters of such news and will pursue legal action as soon as possible.
“Besides fake news sources, those who share the news knowing it was fake or people who alter the information online for personal or indirect gain will also be punishable under the Computer-related Crime Act BE 2550,” he warned.
When asked about the case in which Future Forward Party spokeswoman Pannika Wanich has been alleged to have distorted the Children Day’s slogan given by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Buddhipongse said that representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister have already filed a case with the Technology Crime Suppression Division and at his ministry.
“Officials are gathering evidence and verifying the allegation whether Pannika is the one who first published the altered information on a computer system,” he said.
If the investigation confirms that she was the one, Pannika could be liable under Article 14 (1) of the Computer-related Crime Act, which says that inputting fake or falsified information into a computer system, whether in part or whole, which causes damage to the public other than a defamation offence under the Criminal Code, is punishable by a maximum five years imprisonment or a Bt100,000 fine.