COVID-19 Pandemic Sparks New Information War: More Than Just Fighting Misinformation
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a new kind of information war, according to Charlie Warzel in The New York Times. While platforms and press have been reevaluating their interactions since the 2016 election, the pandemic presents unique challenges that require more than just fighting misinformation.
The quality of 'official sources' varies greatly, making the advice to point readers to them insufficient. Powerful reporting, like ProPublica's graphic story on lung failure, is crucial to illustrate the reality of the pandemic. However, the lack of good information is now a greater problem than misinformation.
The pandemic is a political story led by public health considerations, but government responses colour the policies enacted. A piece in Foreign Affairs magazine argued that platforms' controls on COVID-19 posts differ from those on political speech. Last week, Google and Facebook invested $6.5 million and $100 million respectively to combat misinformation and support journalism.
However, fighting misinformation alone is not enough. Systemic changes in platform design, deep investment in reporting, and cultivating professional journalists are needed. The rules for pandemic reporting emphasize caution, safety, transparency, and responsible information to inform the public without causing alarm.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the limitations of the 'last war' on misinformation. While fighting misinformation is important, it's not enough to tackle the complex, evolving, and deadly nature of this pandemic. Investment in journalism and systemic changes are necessary to ensure the public receives accurate, responsible, and timely information about the covid symptoms and covid itself.
