Photo/Illutration This social media post claims the writer is trapped under rubble and asks to be rescued. (Masanobu Higashiyama)

The communications ministry requested four major digital platform operators to deal with fake posts in the aftermath of the Noto Peninsula earthquake.

Some posts to social media immediately after the magnitude-7.6 earthquake on New Year’s Day called for help when none was needed; for example, saying a family member was trapped under rubble.

Investigating fictitious claims wasted valuable police and firefighting department resources that were needed elsewhere.

A formal request dated Jan. 2 was issued to X, formerly known as Twitter, and Meta, formerly known as Facebook, to deal with fake posts in accordance with their own company usage regulations. The same request was made to Google and Line Yahoo.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications held a meeting on Jan. 5 regarding emergency disaster management and disclosed that the notice had been issued.

“Fake information on social media has the potential of interfering with prompt and smooth search-and-rescue activity,” Takeaki Matsumoto, the communications minister, told the meeting.

He added that the situation could even lead to criminal activity, “so we called on the digital platform operators to respond in an appropriate manner based on their usage regulations.”

The government stopped short of asking the operators to delete posts that it considers inappropriate for fear of trampling on freedom of expression issues.

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