We have learned a lot about COVID-19 since 2020. This includes information like how it spreads, how to protect ourselves and the importance of vaccinations among other important facts. This verified information from trusted sources has saved lives and continues to save more to this day. The opposite is also true about COVID-19 misinformation and disinformation which can have fatal consequences in a pandemic.
Our enemy is also the growing surge of misinformation” during the crisis. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has described the disinformation swirling amidst the COVID-19 pandemic as a “massive infodemic
UN Secretary General António Guterres
Disinformation broadly refers to content spread deliberately to deceive and has potentially negative impacts. The internet that largely comprises of social media has the potential to spread disinformation faster than the virus itself. Content that promises fake medicine and treatments from a person whose only motivation is to gain for profits is an example of disinformation.
Misinformation on the other hand is false information that is spread, regardless of intent to mislead. Misinformation comes from the word misinform which means to give wrong or misleading information to. Funny memes that are supposed to be funny can also be taken out of context and become a source of misinformation.
Tech companies have a duty to combat misinformation and disinformation online and this is how they can play a positive role.
Information Platform
Tech companies can offer to be a platform to teach the masses about COVID-19 and at the same time help to dispel any disinformation. Access to verifiable, reliable information from trusted sources makes the right to freedom of expression meaningful.
We have already seen examples of this happening from big tech giants like Facebook with its COVID-19 Information Centre and Quora with its subdomain coronavirus.quora.com dedicated to Corona virus.
Google through one of their subsidiary companies, YouTube is putting up information banners on any video about COVID-19. The banner below directed me to Kenya’s Ministry of Health’s website https://www.health.go.ke/
Telecommunication companies like Safaricom, Telkom and Airtel locally could also start sending SMS to the public. This is because not everyone with a SIM has access to the internet or a smartphone. With the option to opt-out included, this can help pass crucial information to people who would otherwise not have come across the same information.
Teach How To Detect COVID-19 Misinformation & Disinformation
Another way the Tech companies can help by stopping the spread is by teaching the masses how to report fight misinformation and disinformation. Normally the algorithm on these social media platforms favour the most engaging content. This is content that is receiving the most likes or dislikes, a lot of comments and more watch time if it’s a video. This means that any disinformation can easily pass through and be shared to a lot of people even if they don’t follow or subscribe to the author.
In a world where it is very difficult to distinguish between true information from verified sources and well-crafted disinformation campaigns, the tech companies need to first of all train their users on how to verify information shared online.
The best method to use is called the SIFT method from the infodemic blog. SIFT stands for
- Stop
- Investigate the source
- Find better coverage and
- Trace claims, quotes and media to the original context
Most tech companies rely on reporting misinformation and not how to detect any misinformation and disinformation. This is a step in the right direction but more can be done on this front.
Fact-checking posts and comments on social media right now relies on highly
trained professionals, employed by independent organisations like poynter.org or news media outlets.
Teach How To Report COVID-19 Misinformation & Disinformation
Since fact-checking is not for everyone, the next thing tech companies can do is teach their users how to report any misinformation or disinformation that they come across online. In the end this helps flag potential culprits or false news in time.
The World Health Organization, WHO has a campaign page that shows the users of different social media platforms on how to report misinformation online. This is one thing that most tech companies are currently doing. For example here is an image showing Facebook users how to report false news on desktop computers.
Amplify Info From Experts
Just like how disinformation can be caught by algorithms and spread across many readers and viewers, reliable information from experts should also be amplified the same way. Well curated content from scientists when put before a lot of viewers can help fight disinformation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
We have seen this done previously. For example, Twitter is still verifying accounts that have an email address associated with an authoritative organization or institution providing credible updates on COVID-19. This can help the
Content Takedown’s
As time goes by we have seen COVID-19 debunking information from trusted sources like myth-busting from the WHO. As much as we appreciate the myth-busting surrounding COVID-19, any false information should not be left up.
Flagging misinformation and disinformation is not enough. Once fact-checking investigations have been concludes, action should be taken immediately. This includes taking down the content and potentially deleting the poster’s account.
COVID-19 disinformation which can come from state-sponsored or rival political parties have the ability to cause irreparable harm to the population.
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