By Samuel O Ajayi
Until Yinka Festus Adb, raised it yesterday (Friday), I didn’t think about it. But for this Coronavirus, I may temporarily disable my WhatsApp. I mean it.
Most Nigerians hardly PROCESS any information they receive. No rigorous review of a piece of info before they share. They are a bunch of “shared as received”, “copied”, “send to your loved ones”.
You won’t be unfortunate in His name. Please any information you do not know its source, don’t send to me biko. Either on Coronavirus or any other thing. Anything I share here, I always add the “source” at the end. My WhatsApp contacts know me: I do NOT do WhatsApp sharing. I repeat: I do NOT do it.
If you send me health or SENSIBLE security tips, (please note the word ‘sensible’) I always appreciate. My friends also know that. I know Coronavirus has provided another fertile ground for fake and/or unconfirmed news and outright falsehood on WhatsApp.
Most annoying are the ones ending with “send to 100 people” and someone who claims to have commonsense and was sent to school will start sharing same. In 2020? E ko ni se oriibu o. Do not spread panic and fear. Spread verifiable information that can help. Above all, as they say in journalism: when in DOUBT, leave OUT!
•Source: Facebook, February 29, 2020