University of Toronto Scarborough Global and International Health Week IDSC11 class presents:
Myth-busting COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories
The Consequences of Misinformation
By Zeynab Farah
​
According to The World Health Organization (2020) the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the first pandemic in history where technology and social media have played a massive role in communicating information. As a double-edged sword, social media also plays a massive role in the spread of misinformation, amplifying an “infodemic” that continues to undermine the global response and jeopardizes measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Health Organization (2020) refers to an infodemic as “an overabundance of information, both online and offline.” Examples of the way an infodemic occurs includes deliberate attempts to disseminate wrong information to undermine the public health response and advance alternative agendas of groups or individuals. Mis- and disinformation can: be harmful to people’s physical and mental health; increase stigmatization; threaten precious health gains; and lead to poor observance of public health measures, thereby reducing their effectiveness and endangering countries’ ability to stop the pandemic.
Photo by Sam Braddvia via WHO
Members of the Asian American Commission of Massachusetts at protest against anti-Asian racism in Boston last month via AP
What are some Consequences?
Consequences of conspiracy theories can range from refusal to recognize the reality of the pandemic, to resisting and rejecting public health measures, including masks, distancing, and even vaccines. Moreover, the proliferation of conspiracy theories online have engendered anti-Asian racism, coupled with ageism in many countries; as well as suspicion of Chinese authorities instead of much needed cooperation. Conspiracy theories identify an enemy and a plot which fuels discrimination against a particular group, spearheading mistrust that can lead to apathy or violent act..
Although misinformation and disinformation are often used synonymously, there are important distinctions between these two terms. Misinformation can be defined as false or inaccurate information that might or might not be intentionally deceptive. Examples of misinformation include false rumors, insults, or practical “jokes.” Disinformation on the other hand, is closely related to the development of conspiracy theories where a species of misinformation is intentionally deceptive, e. g. malicious hoaxes, spear phishing, and computational propaganda. The principal effect of disinformation is to elicit fear and suspicion among a population.
Social media is the perfect breeding ground for misinformation to spread, through the development of conspiracy theories online.
​
The human toll of coronavirus dis and misinformation has reached thousands of lives globally (WHO, 2020). Conspiracy theories circulating on the internet have been a major driver of this problem.
​
Online disinformation can have direct consequences, such as the promotion and use of fake and sometimes deadly remedies, and the rejection of public health measures to help contain the virus.
​
But disinformation can also have indirect or delayed effects. For example, Brian Lee Hitchens, a patient in Florida who got sucked in by coronavirus conspiracy theories and contracted the illness after believing conspiracy theories online. Although his wife had multiple underlying health conditions; he didn't bother with social distancing or wearing a mask. Brian recovered, but unfortunately, his 46-year-old wife became critically ill and died from heart problems linked to the virus.
Without the combination of trust in public health authorities and correct information, vaccination campaigns will not meet their targets, and diagnostic tests may go unused, as per the situation in US labs where thousands of coronavirus tests are going unused due to a lack of a national cohesive strategy, which allows the virus to continue to thrive.
What Has Been Done?
To combat misinformation, social media platforms such as Facebook have promised to remove misleading coronavirus posts that pose an immediate threat. But according to an international survey of journalists regarding COVID-19, Facebook remains the biggest spreader of disinformation. Facebook promised to crack down on conspiracy theories and the sharing of dangerous inaccurate news early in the pandemic; however, many people have critiqued the social media giant for its slow response to combating the spread of mis-and dis-information.
In July, Facebook announced the development of a section devoted to debunking common conspiracy theories about COVID-19 in an effort to combat criticism that it has been too lax about misinformation on its other platforms including WhatsApp & Instagram.
Art by Charles Deluvio via Unsplash
The Case of Taiwan and Vietnam: Exemplars in the fight against misinformation
Two governments stand out in the fight against COVID-19 misinformation: Taiwan and Vietnam. Taiwan’s digital ministry has been at the forefront of the anti-misinformation battle since as early as February 2020. When there was an early mask supply problem, the Ministry sponsored a website using Google Maps to coordinate crowdsourced information using a special messaging app: convenience stores stocking masks showed up in green; while out-of-stock stores turned red, impeding unnecessary hoarding of masks.
Taiwan now occupies a unique place in the world. It has seemingly bypassed both the proliferation of US-style digital technology spreading misinformation chaos while also avoiding China’s technologically mediated surveillance-and-censorship regime. As a result, through open data, open governance, and civil society-government collaboration, Taiwan is forging a unique path in limiting COVID-19 cases.​
​
Similarly in Vietnam, “fake news” fines of around 10-20 million dong ($426-$853) have been imposed on people who use social media to share false, untruthful, distorted, or slanderous information, as per a government decree dating from the beginning of the pandemic. As part of the crackdown on coronavirus misinformation, authorities have launched a public poster campaign bearing the slogan “Fake news, real consequences.”
Source: Pearson & Nguyen via The Guardian
Art by UN via Unsplash