Coronavirus misinformation surges, fueled by clout chasers
untitled 2020-02-04
Summary:
Joan Donovan and Natalie Gyenes spoke to NBC News about the coronavirus and misinformation.
“Just as platforms have provided the capacity to mobilize massive crowds, it also scales scams and fake charities in ways that the public falls prey to,” said Donovan. “We’ve seen similar attempts at keyword squatting by influencers using ecological crises and other significant events to raise money for themselves.”
Nat Gyenes said public health officials and organizations will have to compete harder if they’re to outpace misinformation.
"If authorities like the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention aren't the Instagram, Twitter or TikTok accounts that people source for information about the coronavirus outbreak, the entities they encounter may do more harm than good," Gyenes said.