WHO urges countries to combat spread of false information amid COVID-19 pandemic

Social media is littered with misinformation and dangerous rhetoric and the World Health Organization wants countries to do something about it.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) on Wednesday called on governments around the globe to combat the spread of false information by creating and implementing action plans, which focus on the “timely dissemination of science-based information” and prevent the spread of false information without disrespecting freedom of expression.

False information and wild conspiracy theories on the internet are nothing new, but in recent years concerns have been raised about how quickly it can spread on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other platforms.

The coronavirus has not only amplified those concerns but also highlighted the dangerous impacts it can have on people’s lives, with numerous conspiracy theories claiming the virus is a hoax sprouting online regularly.

As a result, the UN announced that it will work with media, influencers, and social media platforms to “spread content that promotes science” as part of a new initiative called Verified.

“As soon as the virus spread across the globe, inaccurate and even dangerous messages proliferated wildly over social media, leaving people confused, misled and ill-advised,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a press release issued Wednesday.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the misinformation has put people and public health at risk, undermined trust in science and institutions in the health system.

“To fight the pandemic we need trust and solidarity and when there is mistrust, there is much less solidarity. False information is hindering the response to the pandemic so we must join forces to fight it and to promote science-based public health advice. The same principles that apply to responding to COVID-19 apply to managing the infodemic. We need to prevent, detect and respond to it, together and in solidarity,” he said in the release.

Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, added that misinformation is one of the fastest-growing challenges facing children today.

“It takes advantage of the cracks in trust in societies and institutions and deepens them further, undermines confidence in science and medicine, and divides communities. In its most pernicious forms, such as when it convinces parents not to vaccinate their children, it can even be fatal. Because misinformation is more a symptom than a sickness, countering it requires more than just providing truth. It also requires trust between leaders, communities and individuals,” said Fore.

Conspiracy theories and coronavirus misinformation are everywhere online and its impacts have been felt in Canada.

At least four people in Quebec have been arrested since May for allegedly making online threats against politicians and other public figures and that all of them have Facebook accounts that promote COVID-19 conspiracy theories, according to CBC.

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