How taxes help rightly inform the public on COVID-19

Taxes are being used to help government’s fund public information campaigns aimed at keeping citizens safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has not only raised concerns over the health of citizens and the economy, it has also triggered a dangerous wave of false and misleading information that has the potential to damage public health and social cohesion.

“Disinformation in times of the coronavirus can kill. We have a duty to protect our citizens by making them aware of false information and expose the actors responsible for engaging in such practices," noted Josep Borrell, High Representative/Vice-President of the European Union.

Disinformation examples

A range of false and misleading claims have arisen during the pandemic. According to one conspiracy theory, 5G installations would help spread the virus. When in fact, there is no connection between 5G and the coronavirus as the virus itself is spread from one person to another through droplets that people sneeze, cough or exhale. Whereas 5G, a new generation of mobile network technology, is transmitted over non-ionising radio waves.

There are even claims that drinking bleach or pure alcohol, harmful actions, could cure the coronavirus. According to Belgium’s Poison Control Centre, there was an increase of 15 % in the number of bleach-related incidents.

Addressing disinformation head on

The EU has increased its efforts to tackle disinformation, while protecting the freedom of expression, to ensure citizens are correctly informed about the pandemic.

On 1 June, the European Commission launched the European Digital Media Observatory. This project will provide a hub for fact-checkers, academics and other relevant stakeholders to collaborate with media to try and fight disinformation. The Commission plans to launch a 9 million euro call for proposals to create regional media hubs later this year.

The European Commission has also published a dedicated coronavirus response website that provides real-time information on the virus and the EU’s response. There is a dedicated coronavirus disinformation section which provides rebuttals of myths surrounding the virus. 
In addition to this, the Commission developed measures to tackle disinformation. As part of this initiative, EU institutions are raising awareness of the dangers of disinformation. They have also encouraged online platforms to contribute to the fight against disinformation. Twitter, for instance, has challenged more than 3.4 million suspicious accounts targeting coronavirus discussions. Facebook and Instagram have directed more than 2 billion people to resources from health authorities, such as the World Health Organization, through their COVID-19 Information Centre.

The TAXEDU digital portal
Collected taxes are being used in many ways to help protect society, such as fighting disinformation. Students across the EU are also learning about other ways taxes are being used to make their lives better through the TAXEDU digital platform. The platform boasts a range of interactive and exiting tax-related resources which are helping to educate the next generation of taxpayers.

Taxes are helping to protect our wellbeing and future.