COVID-19
Health scares and disease outbreaks have been accompanied by misinformation narratives throughout history, and the outbreak of novel coronavirus in late 2019 is no exception. This research topic explores intersections between misinformation, science, fear, and public health.
Live Research Review
Teaching & Learning
Explore course modules, handouts, teaching tools and syllabi about dis- and misinformation.
Latest News on COVID-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has confirmed yet again the importance of clear, reliable, and accurate information for societies. Throughout the pandemic audiences have turned to trusted sources for scientific information about the disease and its spread. Yet even as demand for their work has soared, journalists have been laid off and furloughed around the world. News […]
By Anya Schiffrin
The proliferation of social media has allowed the antivaccine movement to become more influential than at any point in history. Earlier studies have demonstrated that social media platforms such as Pinterest and Twitter are filled with antivaccine information. The consumption of antivaccine social media content could negatively impact vaccine attitudes and consequently vaccine uptake. Furthermore, […]
By Lu Tang, Kayo Fujimoto, Muhammad Amith, Rachel Cunningham, Rebecca A Constantini, Felicia York, Grace Xiong, Julie A Boom, and Cui Tao
When the pandemic hit last March, 27-year-old Jennifer*, a childcare worker from Virginia, was furloughed from her job, leaving her with little to do but curl up anxiously on her couch with her phone. She’d spend hours a day scrolling through Facebook and Instagram posts about self-healing, spirituality, and trauma, mostly by wellness types she […]
By Clio Chang
The Google News Initiative announced it will give $3 million to news and fact-checking organizations in an effort to combat misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. The tech giant previously awarded fact-checking projects $6.5 million in April and $1.5 million in December, so Tuesday’s announcement brings the grand total flowing from their well-stocked coffers to organizations […]
By Sarah Scire
After insisting for years that false claims about vaccines are better left up to be debunked, Facebook announced last month that it would remove misinformation about the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, citing “imminent physical harm.” More than a month later, anti-vaccine accounts are still spreading misinformation, according to one monitor, while others […]
By Anagha Srikanth
The Covid-19 pandemic has confirmed yet again the importance of clear, reliable, and accurate information for societies. Throughout the pandemic audiences have turned to trusted sources for scientific information about the disease and its spread. Yet even as demand for their work has soared, journalists have been laid off and furloughed around the world. News […]
By Anya SchiffrinThe proliferation of social media has allowed the antivaccine movement to become more influential than at any point in history. Earlier studies have demonstrated that social media platforms such as Pinterest and Twitter are filled with antivaccine information. The consumption of antivaccine social media content could negatively impact vaccine attitudes and consequently vaccine uptake. Furthermore, […]
By Lu Tang, Kayo Fujimoto, Muhammad Amith, Rachel Cunningham, Rebecca A Constantini, Felicia York, Grace Xiong, Julie A Boom, and Cui TaoWhen the pandemic hit last March, 27-year-old Jennifer*, a childcare worker from Virginia, was furloughed from her job, leaving her with little to do but curl up anxiously on her couch with her phone. She’d spend hours a day scrolling through Facebook and Instagram posts about self-healing, spirituality, and trauma, mostly by wellness types she […]
By Clio ChangThe Google News Initiative announced it will give $3 million to news and fact-checking organizations in an effort to combat misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccine. The tech giant previously awarded fact-checking projects $6.5 million in April and $1.5 million in December, so Tuesday’s announcement brings the grand total flowing from their well-stocked coffers to organizations […]
By Sarah ScireAfter insisting for years that false claims about vaccines are better left up to be debunked, Facebook announced last month that it would remove misinformation about the safety and efficacy of the coronavirus vaccine, citing “imminent physical harm.” More than a month later, anti-vaccine accounts are still spreading misinformation, according to one monitor, while others […]
By Anagha Srikanth