The novel coronavirus has spread to over 60 countries alongside its darker cousin: false information about the disease, how it spreads and how we can protect ourselves against it.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called it an âinfodemicâ as misleading or incorrect information is spreading faster than the virus. Whether itâs quack doctors pushing fake âcuresâ, conspiracy theories used to undermine opposition governments, hoax âsymptomsâ or funny memes, they create an environment that makes it hard to trust what we find online and add to the global panic and anxiety around the problem.
âStigma, to be honest, is more dangerous than the virus itself,â said WHO director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
When we come across content online that causes strong emotional reactions â like panic or fear â we can accidentally share things without stopping to think and check whether theyâre accurate.
[…]
Source: 5 quick ways we can all double-check coronavirus information online