Email Address Set Up To Report Misinformation
Citizens now have a special email address set up by government to report all instances of “malicious” posts which, if left unchecked, can cause severe damage to Barbados’ reputation.
The address is [email protected] and Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams, urges all Barbadians to get involved in the process.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet press briefing at Ilaro Court yesterday, the Minister’s comments came in response to a viral AI generated video with Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley purportedly leading a revolution throughout the Caribbean and internationally against the Trump Administration.
Minister Abrahms maintained: “I am going to ask Barbadians to get involved in the process. It’s about your interest as well. What happens to the reputation of Barbados or how Barbados is perceived internationally, affects you. It affects your business, it affects your children, it affects the economy of Barbados,” He contended.
The Minister further stated: “If you see something circulating that does not make sense to you, please alert us to it. We will advise in short order as to whether it’s a fact or it’s a fiction. If you see something that you know is fake news, please bring it to our attention, so that we can dispel it and deal with it before it goes into frequent circulation and gains traction in Barbados and outside of Barbados.”
He said viral videos and the reactions to misinformation, had international, foreign policy and foreign affairs implications for the country, ‘when they are picked up as fact and spread, it disrupts what it is that we are trying to do here”.
Mr. Abrahams urged the public to be vigilant in the face of such “malicious content” and to avoid sharing or engaging with posts that have not been verified by reputable or official sources.
