Viral message group admin should close the group for 2 days is FAKE

April 7: A viral message in social media, claims that legal action would be taken against group admin and group members who post jokes on coronavirus. So as a precautionary measure, group admin should close the social media group for two days. 

The misleading viral message states:

“Group admin is requested to close group for 2 days as police can take action against admin and group members vide Section 68, 140 and 188 if anyone even by mistake post joke on corona. Everyone could be in trouble. Hence I draw the attention of group admin to take necessary steps.”

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check, a twitter handle of PIB to counter misinformation on government policies and schemes after investigation of this viral message stated that this is FAKE one. Taking to its twitter handle, PIB Fact Check wrote, “Fake message is going around on social media claiming that legal action would be taken against admin and group members who post jokes on #Coronavirus , hence group admin should close the group for 2 days. This is #Fake! No such order has been issued by the Government.”

Fake message is going around on social media claiming that legal action would be taken against admin and group members who post jokes on #Coronavirus , hence group admin should close the group for 2 days.

This is #Fake! No such order has been issued by the Government pic.twitter.com/TFB5GCH2Vg

— PIB Fact Check (@PIBFactCheck) April 6, 2020

That means this viral message is totally FAKE and the government has not issued any advisory to group admins to close social media groups for two days.

The Press Information Bureau, commonly abbreviated as PIB, is a nodal agency of the Government of India. Based in National Media Centre, New Delhi, Press Information Bureau disseminates information to the print, electronic and new media on government plans, policies, programme initiatives and achievements. The PIB is also the Government’s nodal agency to facilitate private media. PIB Fact Check is a wing of the PIB of the Government of India.