Recently, while watching stories on Instagram, I noticed that an associate posted the following meme about the death toll of COVID-19.
Seeing that this post was shared by someone connected to me, personally, was shocking and ignited some outrage within me and a few people within my inner circle of friends who had also seen the post. Upon confronting the associate about the source of their information, they mentioned that they had no true source. Furthermore, they were reluctant to attempt to open their mind to the possibility of being wrong. Instead, they said, “it’s a meme.” This exchange perpetuates the idea that misinformation does not only blind people from the truth; it hinders people from conversing about the real facts of a matter.
With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation has become more common in our society, especially on social media and social networking platforms. People today often obtain their information through social media channels and take most things to be true. For example, WhatsApp has become increasingly popular amongst older generations, mainly because it can be used as a platform to communicate with those outside of the country. Every once in a while, someone close to me will receive a WhatsApp notification from a relative claiming to have some sort of remedy, treatment or cure for COVID-19. This new antidote could entail boiling various fruits and seasonings together and drinking the concoction, cutting open onions and placing them around the house, consuming hot beverages throughout the course of the day or using hydroxychloroquine as a means to recover from the virus rapidly. Individuals who use WhatsApp often are more likely to believe the misinformation circulating on the app, being that the information may be sent directly from a trusted friend or family member. Furthermore, the encryption necessary for a private messaging app like WhatsApp limits how much WhatsApp can do to combat the false information on the back end. This is why verifying the information that one receives is imperative, as there may not always be an update available to negate the false information we receive and provide us with the truth.
We are in the midst of a worldwide infodemic surrounding COVID-19, meaning that we are constantly being supplied with a combination of correct and incorrect information on the subject of the virus and the pandemic at a rapid rate. Now more than ever, it is important to ensure that our sources of information are legitimate, and our “facts” are truly facts. It is necessary for us to cultivate specific and intentional practices in order to avoid misinformation, especially while using social media. Once a new report is brought to our attention, we should subsequently be willing to perform a quick internet search to dig deeper into the topic and verify the details of the news. Otherwise, we may find ourselves sharing inaccurate information with others, contributing further to the reach of these inaccurate articles, videos, reports and more.
Today, it appears that fact-checking is no longer a common practice. Even the president of the United States has publicized “facts” and practices that have harmed us more than helped. Some of these subjects include injecting disinfectant and exposing the body to ultraviolet light to combat the virus. Additionally, the president has stated that COVID-19 will miraculously go away, that the U.S. has the lowest mortality rate and that children are immune, amongst various other claims. The president has yet to accept responsibility for any of the false claims he has made, which adds to the confusion of the American people, as we remain divided in our viewpoints, not knowing who to trust, what to believe and the best course of action to take.
These days, we are more concerned with disclosing whatever information we come across than clarifying and correcting the details we already have. Furthermore, we tend to share the things that appeal to us and confirm our ideas, pushing our personal agendas, rather than presenting both sides of the coin. This is not the way we should go about handling significant public matters. If we continue this route of diluting, mixing and changing information, we may no longer be able to find the truth in many of our trusted sources. Therefore, it is equally important for us to be mindful of the information we are choosing to circulate as it is to double-check our sources. Considering that our health is at risk, personally, relationally and communally, we have a responsibility to take extra precaution when supplying others with news with regard to coronavirus. The things we choose to share could directly impact and shape the course of another life infiltrating their thoughts, beliefs, decisions and actions.
Sola's Thoughts 