Interview Times The trend in the increments of fake news and misinformation in India has always been a problem but earlier the number of misinformation was comparatively less. If you remember then myths related to Covid-19 and vaccines are being spread relentlessly.
This time the rumors have taken a height and previous the situation was like ‘’We are not just fighting an epidemic, we are fighting an infodemic’’. If we minutely think about this we can easily get to know what this sentence means and what is actually happening today all over the globe.
Yes, we are fighting an infodemic that is as responsible as an epidemic for taking people’s life. We are facing an unprecedented crisis of public understanding. Western Digital corporations and social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram YouTube, WhatsApp, Snapchat,
Many online platforms like Instagram reels, Facebook videos, moj, etc., and their influencers are becoming the powerhouse as well as the heart & soul of all the trending Coronavirus related misinformation and rumors.
Even there was a time when WHO under the pressure of the Chinese Government also spread the misinformation about the spread of “atypical pneumonia” circulated widely instead of the COVID-19, even after knowing that people are relying on their source only in the pandemic.
World Health organization’s Director-General, Tedros Aahanom Ghebreyesus, noted that urgent measures are now be taken to address the “ COVID-19 infodemic “.The infodemic comprises outbreak response and increases public confusion about who and what information sources to trust; generates fear and exaggerated claims, and promotes xenophobic and racist forms of digital vigilantism and scapegoating.
Governments, Public health authorities, and digital corporations need to not only promote digital literacy but combat ways in which the impact of social media may be swapping and irreversible post-truth age even after the Covid-19 pandemic dissipate.
Misinformation has been pervasive in other recent large-scale outbreaks and it has always been the latest trend on the prevalent media. There are a lot of examples of the rumors and misinformation during the pandemic, like
X) “Standing for long in sunlight or taking a sunbath can cure you of the deadly coronavirus.
X) “Eating tulsi and mint leaves can cure, a blessing to fight corona evil”.
X) ” Inhaling camphor can rise up the oxygen level”.
The untrue, exaggerated, and dubious medical claims and hoaxes such as “ Various unproven remedies were proffered as cures to both Ebola and Corona, like drinks that contained mint and spices Saffron and turmeric that spread in Iran through Twitter was proved as the other forms of misinformation during Covid-19 and many more. When complex emergencies arise, public officials are cautious about making premature pronouncements, instead carefully crafting statements to ensure accuracy and avoid the pitfalls of misinterpretation and exaggeration. Somewhat paradoxically, this careful approach may also contribute to the formation of an information vacuum that rumors and falsehoods are all too ready to fill.
In the digital age, the time needed to analyze, assess and communicate information cannot compete with the platforms. The impact of social media misinformation may be even more pronounced because of confirmation bias, the tendency to accept statements that reinforce our established views, and to downplay statements that counter these views.
Pandemics will require coordinated global response strategies. Digital corporations and social media platforms can and must be at the heart of these strategies since their responses and willingness to collaborate with governments and public health officials will determine whether social media is viewed as a beneficial or pathological vector of pandemic response.
At present, it’s imperative to develop policies and mechanisms that address the digital creation and spread of misinformation about disease outbreaks. To do this will require that biomedical knowledge about pandemics be supplemented by expertise about their social, political, and cultural underpinnings. Without that understanding, efforts to contain COVID-19 will be hindered by “spreading unnecessary panic and confusion, and driving division, when solidarity and collaboration are key to saving lives and ending the health crisis.”
