Why Misinformation about COVID-19’s Origins Keeps Going Viral

Despite the objections of experts to the publication of articles before they have been peer reviewed, this report states,that pre-reviewed articles and other types of misinformation have gained traction on social media because they take advantage of vulnerable human emotions. Those feelings can drive the viral spread of hoaxes.

The author provides several reasons why misinformation spreads easily:

  • The way people react to emotional stories on social media is intense and predictable. Vitriol fills the replies, and false news then becomes 70 percent more likely to be retweeted than the truth.
  • A complicated combination of psychological factors is at work whenever a reader decides to share news, and otherwise smart people can become part of the cycle of disinformation.
  • Readers cut corners, often sharing stories with grabby headlines before looking deeper into the story itself.
  • If you hear something twice, you’re more likely to think that it’s true than if you’ve only heard it once
  • Political news travels faster than the rest of false news

Source: Why Misinformation about COVID-19’s Origins Keeps Going Viral

    Views 810

    Eswatini COVID-19 Mythbusters

    The ten mythbusters, available in English and Siswati, were developed based on feedback received from chiefdom leadership who  identified prevailing myths and misconceptions related to COVID-19 prevention, treatment or stigma related to recovery.

    Key mythbusters tackle use of alcohol, garlic, hot baths, home remedies, sex, bleach and sanitizer, and hydroxychoroquine, with key facts.  They also address misconceptions that only urban populations or older people are affected and reassure people about recovery.

    Source: Eswatini COVID-19 Mythbusters

      Views 594

      Who to Trust and How to Overcome COVID-19 Misinformation in Nigeria

      In Nigeria, as in many countries, social media has allowed anyone to post COVID-19 misinformation as truth and fact, while misleading the public and, in some cases, causing real damage.

      This article reviews some of the major misinformation events in Nigeria during the pandemic and notes the steps being taken to correct that situation.

      Source: Who to Trust and How to Overcome COVID-19 Misinformation in Nigeria

        Views 696

        COVID-19–Related Infodemic and Its Impact on Public Health: A Global Social Media Analysis

        The authors of this article followed and examined COVID-19–related rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories circulating on online platforms, including fact-checking agency websites, Facebook, Twitter, and online newspapers, and their impacts on public health.

        Information was extracted between December 31, 2019 and April 5, 2020, and descriptively analyzed. They performed a content analysis of the news articles to compare and contrast data collected from other sources, and identified 2,311 reports of rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories in 25 languages from 87 countries. Claims were related to illness, transmission and mortality (24%), control measures (21%), treatment and cure (19%), cause of disease including the origin (15%), violence (1%), and miscellaneous (20%).

        Of the 2,276 reports for which text ratings were available, 1,856 claims were false (82%).

        Misinformation fueled by rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories can have potentially serious implications on the individual and community if prioritized over evidence-based guidelines. Health agencies must track misinformation associated with the COVID-19 in real time, and engage local communities and government stakeholders to debunk misinformation.

        Source: COVID-19–Related Infodemic and Its Impact on Public Health: A Global Social Media Analysis

          Views 757

          How to Report Misinformation Online

          As the world responds to the  COVID-19 pandemic, we all face the challenge of an overabundance of information related to the virus. Some of this information may be false and potentially harmful.

          Inaccurate information spreads widely and at speed, making it more difficult for the public to identify verified facts and advice  from trusted sources, such as  their local health authority or WHO. However, everyone can help to stop the spread. If you see content online that you believe to be false or misleading, you can report it to the hosting social media platform.

          This page offers links to various social media platforms’ sites for reporting inappropriate content.

          Source: How to Report Misinformation Online

            Views 764

            Immunizing the Public against Misinformation

            Proliferating misinformation — even when the content is, in a best-case scenario, harmless — can have serious and even social and lethal health ramifications in the context of a global pandemic. In some countries, rumours about impending food scarcity prompted people to stockpile supplies early on in the epidemic and caused actual shortages.

            This article is an interview with Tim Nguyen whose team manages the Information Network for Epidemics (EPI-WIN), which is leading WHO work on managing infodemics.

            Source: Immunizing the Public against Misinformation

              Views 546

              Teaching Senior Citizens to Spot Misinformation

              This article explains that COVID-19 has made the topic of misinformation timely and urgent. Discerning reliable health information is especially a matter of life or death for older people who are more vulnerable to the virus, and showcases projects created to ameliorate the situation.

              Tips to spot misinformation and avoid sharing it include evaluating whether news is from a known media outlet; noting the publication date, who wrote the content, and whether the author is reputable; checking if a website has a .gov, .edu, .org or .com suffix; and if a website is selling a product.

              Source: Teaching Senior Citizens to Spot Misinformation

                Views 547

                COVID-19 Educational Videos (Spanish)

                This is a set of videos developed for the Latino population in Knox County, TN, intended to address misinformation about COVID-19 as well as main communication needs. Topics and themes have been developed based on community input and feedback. Topics include: symptoms of COVID-19, basic actions to keep oneself safe, face mask use, etc.

                Source: COVID-19 Educational Videos (Spanish)

                  Views 793

                  COVID-19 Kenya – Media Coverage Tracker

                  This tracker, produced by the Kenya Ministry of Health in partnership with USAID, follows media coverage of COVID-19 in Kenya, offering information about the source, topic, and author. Several key topics the tracker covers include: economics, innovation, gender-based violence, aid, response, risk factors, etc.

                    Views 699

                    COVID-19 PSAs Zambia: Correct Information

                    This is a COVID-19 mini-series aimed at informing and engaging Zambian audiences about symptoms, preventive actions and the importance of verified information during the pandemic. As four strangers wait to board a bus, they discuss COVID-19 facts and fiction, and what role religion, social media and correct information has to play.

                    Source: COVID-19 PSAs Zambia: Correct Information

                      Views 781