Podcasts Other Seriously... How to Cure Viral Misinformation

How to Cure Viral Misinformation

Published: April 24, 2020, 4 a.m.

The World Health Organisation calls it an \u201cinfodemic\u201d \u2013 a flood of information about the coronavirus pandemic. Amid the good advice and the measured uncertainty, there\u2019s a ton of false claims, conspiracy theories and health tips which are just plain wrong.\nWe\u2019ve been working to fight the tide of bad info, and in this programme BBC Trending reporters Marianna Spring and Mike Wendling trace the story of one specific viral post.\nIt's a list of supposed facts about the virus and what you can do to protect yourself. Some of the tips are true, some are false but relatively harmless, and some are potentially dangerous. Who\u2019s behind the post \u2013 and how did it spread?\nHere\u2019s our list of seven key tips on how to stop viral misinformation:\n1. Stop and think\n2. Check your source\n3. Ask yourself, could it be a fake?\n4. If you\u2019re unsure whether it\u2019s true \u2026 don\u2019t share.\n5. Check each fact, individually.\n6. Beware emotional posts.\n7. Think about biases

Presenters: Marianna Spring and Mike Wendling