Covid-19: Practice information hygiene to deal with misinformation, say experts

NEW DELHI: Is coronavirus the greatest information challenge of our times? That's the central question that four experts addressed as they discussed the fallouts of the highly contagious disease worldwide at the Bennet University's webinar on Covid-19.


In the hour-long session, the experts discussed the causes and dangers of misinformation and fake news, and also came up with suggestions to counter it.

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They delved into the reasons that made the World Health Organisation (WHO) acknowledge the rise of an 'infodemic', a phenomenon which leads to over-abundance of "information – some accurate and some not – that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it.

"Pandemics and infodemic run parallelly. They also have a number of similarities. Both of them take advantage of our complacency. And often, our sense of urgency in dealing with both comes too late to make a difference," said Eoghan Sweeney, an online verification expert based out of Berlin.


As the experts spoke, it became clear that the pandemic has led to global challenges. But they also pointed out that "information hygiene" can lead to a safer world for everyone. "In this moment, while it's important for us to maintain personal hygiene, it's also important to practice information hygiene, where we think about our forwards and messages," said Prof

Rasmus Kleis Nielsen

, Director,

Reuters Institute for Journalism Studies

, UK.

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Nielsen, while pointing out the "trust deficit" between news sources and its consumers, also said it was important for several stakeholders to work together to curb the spread of misinformation. "High-level politicians, celebrities and influencers should really think about what they post online because they have a lot of people's attention," he said, adding that "top-down misinformation spreads more rapidly."

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The experts also pointed out the importance of clear and transparent communication channels from the government in dealing with the pandemic, and emphasised the role that technology giants can play in ensuring that authentic news reaches common people. Google APAC region News Lab Lead Irene Jay Liu, walked the audience through the steps that the search giant has taken to combat misinformation. Fact-check panels and rating news articles from authentic sources higher in search engine results are steps in the right direction, she said.

Sumaiya Shaikh, a neuroscientist and founder of alt news science, a verification website, spoke of the efficacy of Hydroxychloroquine tablets as a cure of Covid-19, pointing out that the research paper that made this was not foolproof. She also laid down the danger of promoting unscientific and unverified claims, saying that they may lead to higher exposure to the virus.

"A major problem with misinformation in these times, when people are supposed to practice social distancing, is that it encourages reckless behaviour," she said, while referring to an instance where an Indian minister had claimed that spending a few hours in the sun would make the virus lose its potency.