FAKE NEWS GOES TG te @ Protect yourself from the spread of misinformation Jessica Berget Editor-in-Chief n this time of uncertainty, most of us look to our local news for information in making sense of what is happening in the world. Unfortunately, we can't even rely on the news too much to inform and educate us. The amount of misinformation and fake facts circulating on news platforms and social media about this epidemic is almost as harmful as the virus itself. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), also attested to the danger of the fake news surrounding the virus at a Munich security conference. “We're not just fighting an epidemic; were fighting an infodemic. Fake news spreads faster and more easily than this virus and is just as dangerous’ he said. In fact, according to a 2018 study done by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), fake news (on twitter) is spread faster than real news and is about 70 percent more likely to be reposted than real news. According to Statista as of 2017, 77 percent of Canadians go online and 44 percent use social media to get their news. This is alarming since social media is a breeding ground for fake news and alarmism. This misinformation can make us react in ways that may not be helpful or possibly make things even worse—undermining the reality or actual danger of the virus. As we have heard many times about the symptoms of COVID-19 and the importance of being able to recognize them and distancing ourselves from others, we should also be taking misinformation into account and distancing ourselves from it to stop it. Here are some fake news stories on the current pandemic and the symptoms they are capable of generating in society at large. PANIC Misinformation about this virus can not only cause more fear and panic for the public, but a UK study shows it can also make disease outbreaks worse. We all make our decisions based on the information we receive, so when we are given incorrect or false information, we might not make rational or logical decisions due to the severity of the false facts. In India, the fear of this illness has already had deadly affects—even in those people who don't have it. One man hung himself to protect his family after watching videos about coronavirus all day because he believed he had the same symptoms—despite doctors and loved ones telling him that he didn't. This man was reading true information, yet he still felt a great panic. This story of a terrifying true fact gives good reason to believe that very dramatic false facts could wreak a lot of havoc in society. To prove that this idea has weight, one must look no further than Novi Sanzhary, Ukraine. According to Forbes, this once small town turned into chaos last month as protestors attempted to block evacuees coming from China to a medical centre for quarantine. Roads were blocked and there were clashes with police which resulted in nine officers and one civilian being injured—and 24 people arrested. A mix of miscommunication from the city’s authorities and misinformation being spread on social media concocted a lethal brew of anxiety which lead to a full-fledged panic. We have also all heard about people stockpiling and hoarding essentials for fear of the virus and how long we ( will be quarantined for. Many people are already in panic mode and reading about false information or fake claims about coronavirus escalates the situation. cC¢ “We're not just fighting an epidemic; we're fighting an infodemic.”