Ofcom probes This Morning over Eamonn Holmes’ coronavirus 5G conspiracy comments
Media watchdog Ofcom is assessing This Morning after presenter Eamonn Holmes questioned why the mainstream media had slapped down a conspiracy theory linking the spread of the coronavirus to 5G masts.
On Monday Holmes, a host on the ITV show, said that the media did not know if the conspiracy theory was true or not.
“What I don’t accept is mainstream media immediately slapping that down as not true when they don’t know it’s not true,” Holmes said.
“It’s very easy to say it is not true because it suits the state narrative.”
The regulator said it had received 419 complaints so far.
“We are assessing this programme in full as a priority,” an Ofcom spokesperson said.
A conspiracy theory circulating online has falsely claimed that there is a connection between the 5G technology and the coronavirus outbreak.
Several phone masts across the UK have been set on fire due to the conspiracy theory. However there is no evidence to support the theory, which has been debunked by mobile industry and healthcare experts and the government.
“The claims are complete nonsense and we have been working with social media companies to ensure these entirely bogus claims are not circulated,” a Number 10 spokesperson said.
Research published by Ofcom last week found that almost half of UK adults had been exposed to false information about coronavirus.
The research showed that 40 per cent of people are finding it hard to know what is true or false about the virus, rising to 52 per cent among 18 to 24 year olds.