But the spread of false information regarding the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic shows that people remain vulnerable to misinformation, especially from online sources. The fake news phenomenon is worsened by — to put it politely — misleading statements posted online by some world leaders. A research study published in the Star in the aftermath of the 2017 general election showed 38 per cent of Kenyan respondents shared fake news through social media. This was the highest among the countries surveyed, evidence that fake news is prevalent in the country’s social media landscape. The spreading of fake news relating to the Covid-19 pandemic shows a large number of people remain gullible to it.

Source: The Star April 10, 2020 12:22 UTC