Ofcom: Covid-19 5G theories are 'most common' misinformation (original) (raw)

Unfounded theories linking Covid-19 to 5G technology are the most common example of online misinformation in the UK, an Ofcom survey suggests.

The media regulator said 50% of respondents had seen some examples of misinformation during the third week of lockdown - up from 46% in week one.

Of those, half had seen the disproven 5G conspiracy theory, it said.

There are concerns the false claims prompted people to set communication masts set on fire across the UK.

A spokesman for industry body Mobile UK told BBC News there had been "more than 50" of these arson attacks but fewer in recent days.

Claims 5G spreads coronavirus or weakens people’s immune systems, making them susceptible to it, have been denounced as "compete rubbish" by scientists.