It may be the global day for pranks but with the world under assault from the deadly coronavirus pandemic many Governments on Wednesday were warning against virus-themed April Fools’ jokes — some even threatening jail.
The April 1 tradition sees families, web users and corporations embrace practical jokes. But few are in the mood as the global death toll mounts and billions remain under some form of lockdown. Google, a company renowned for its elaborate annual stunts, told its employees it would “take the year off from that tradition out of respect for all those fighting the Covid-19 pandemic,” according to an internal email obtained by Business Insider.
The deadly outbreak has already been accompanied by a deluge of online misinformation, making it harder for governments to keep their citizens safe. Some are now threatening jail for virus pranks. Taiwan, which has been held up as a model for how to tackle an outbreak, warned people who spread false rumours that they faced up to three years in jail and a TW$3 million fine ($100,000).
“On April Fools’ Day we can exercise our sense of humour if we have to but we can’t make jokes on the pandemic to avoid breaking the law,” President Tsai Ing-wen posted on Facebook alongside a photo of one of her cats.