We live in a world where misinformation is rampant online and often hard to detect. So, when a global health crisis explodes and hundreds of millions across the globe are in isolation with nothing but the internet as their source of community, comfort, and information, every part of our online experience – life-saving information and fake news alike – is magnified into an overwhelming swirl.
As social isolation becomes the new normal with the COVID-19 outbreak, industry leaders are taking swift action to combat misinformation online, which as we know, spreads just as quick as the virus itself.
Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube issued a joint statement on misinformation, which said: “We’re helping millions of people stay connected while also jointly combating fraud and misinformation about the virus, elevating authoritative content on platforms, and sharing critical updates in coordination with government healthcare agencies around the world.”
Each company also released guides to combat misinformation, and they clearly display links to the CDC and other official sources of information on their platforms:
- Facebook: Keeping People Safe and Informed About the Coronavirus
- Google: COVID-19: How we’re continuing to help
- LinkedIn: Supporting our members and customers during COVID-19
- Reddit: Expert Conversation on Coronavirus
- Twitter: An update on our continuity strategy during COVID-19
What does misinformation around COVID-19 look like, and what can WE do to combat it?
Misinformation can be innocuous (like a widely shared patriotic video of Italian fighter jets leaving chemtrails in the nation’s flag colors to boost morale which was actually filmed years before the outbreak), or it can be dangerous (like one of the many claims circulating on social media to ingest colloidal silver to prevent or treat COVID-19, which can cause argyria – meaning a blue discoloration of the skin and in some cases can cause silver build-up in the liver and kidneys).
When it comes to combating the spread of misinformation around COVID-19, we all can do our part. Just like it’s a no-brainer to frequently wash your hands the proper way (wet your hands, lather with soap, scrub for at least 20 seconds, and then rinse), we can easily stop the spread of misinformation using the simple five-step process below:
- Read more than the headlines: Headlines are designed to spark an emotional reaction, read the entire piece to form your own opinion.
- Ask questions: Does the outlet have a history of bias?
- Verify the source: When in doubt, cross-reference the information to the CDC’s website.
- Check to see if it’s promoted content: Usually, there will be a disclaimer if the article is penned by someone or an organization who paid to have their article placed. This means it is purely opinion-based.
- Think before you share: Am I doing my friends and family a service by sharing this, or could this share negatively influence someone else’s behavior?
Spreading misinformation doesn’t feel like you’re spreading misinformation – it usually just feels like a quick click. But it’s not. Your click can actually influence people’s behavior, which can have serious consequences.
By following our steps, you can protect yourself from sharing misinformation. While social isolation continues to be the new normal and people lean on social media and the internet now more than ever, we all should work together to make sure we’re not just staying healthy but staying smart about what we share online.