Coronavirus is providing fertile ground for misinformation. Our new fact-checking newsletter seeks to snuff it out
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus is providing fertile ground for misinformation. Our new fact-checking newsletter seeks to snuff it out

ABC  

As the world grapples with an unprecedented health crisis, it is now more important than ever to ensure that the information we share is accurate and fact-based. Stay up-to-date on the coronavirus outbreak Download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest on how the pandemic is impacting the world We've also got some bad news about those photos of wild animals in the canals of Venice, and we'll bring you an update from the White House. But in an op-ed for Wired, Gabby Deutch from online trust website NewsGuard writes that she and her colleagues were able to track one fake article — "Coronavirus Bioweapon–How China Stole Coronavirus From Canada And Weaponized It" — back to its source. A claim attributed to Stanford University that being able to hold your breath for ten seconds "proves there is no Fibrosis in the lungs" has been deemed false by a number of fact checkers, including Africa Check, AP, Full Fact and USA Today. Those fact checks clearly didn't reach one American couple, who ingested a parasite treatment for pet fish containing chloroquine phosphate after seeing Mr Trump's comments on TV.

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History of this topic

The battle to stop the spread of vaccine misinformation online
3 years, 9 months ago

The battle to stop the spread of vaccine misinformation online

Al Jazeera  

The rollout of coronavirus vaccines has presented new challenges to social media websites and groups fighting online misinformation. The group has also launched programmes like Don’t Spread the Virus, endorsed by the United Kingdom government, to help online users counter “the scourge of misinformation on coronavirus online”. Facebook bans vaccine misinformation Health officials have long criticised social media sites for …

Coronavirus: Another pandemic could be around the corner, expert says
3 years, 11 months ago

Coronavirus: Another pandemic could be around the corner, expert says

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “Occasionally one comes along, so spotting the rare event …

Misinformation on covid-19 and 5G spreads rapidly, just like the coronavirus
3 years, 11 months ago

Misinformation on covid-19 and 5G spreads rapidly, just like the coronavirus

Live Mint  

While 5G doesn’t cause covid-19, the rumours around it definitely spread as rapidly as the novel coronavirus, researchers have found out using the same epidemiological models that are employed to calculate the spread of infectious diseases. A team led by researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health, scientists from Harvard Medical School and École Polytechnique Fédérale examined the …

News orgs prove Trump’s outlandish claim wrong as they continue spotlighting coronavirus
4 years, 1 month ago

News orgs prove Trump’s outlandish claim wrong as they continue spotlighting coronavirus

CNN  

CNN Business — A version of this article first appeared in the “Reliable Sources” newsletter. Wednesday’s WaPo A1 features a map accompanied by a headline that warns, “Surge shows no sign of easing.” CNN’s homepage is featuring a story with a headline that reads, “Coronavirus hospitalizations in US reach an all-time high with more than 60,000.” And NYT’s homepage focuses …

Suspected SA coronavirus case a false positive, but hotel says cleaner among cluster
4 years, 5 months ago

Suspected SA coronavirus case a false positive, but hotel says cleaner among cluster

ABC  

A suspected coronavirus case that sparked concerns of community transmission in South Australia has now been declared a false positive, but more details have emerged about a cluster linked to a hotel. Key points: New tests of a woman diagnosed with COVID-19 in SA came back negative Authorities were concerned the case had meant community transmission was occuring South Australians …

Getting a coronavirus test? Don't believe the myths and conspiracy theories about how PCR test kits work
4 years, 5 months ago

Getting a coronavirus test? Don't believe the myths and conspiracy theories about how PCR test kits work

ABC  

Melbourne is in the midst of a testing blitz to control the latest coronavirus outbreak. "PCR tests are used in Victoria and are one of the most common ways to test for coronavirus," he said. Another version of the misinformation shared in Australian conspiracy-theory Facebook groups incorrectly claims PCR tests can "break the blood-brain barrier" and allow "bacteria & other …

Coronavirus news you might have missed overnight: ‘Game-changer’ antibody test subject to scrutiny as eleventh hour London Tube rescue deal to cause fare hike
4 years, 7 months ago

Coronavirus news you might have missed overnight: ‘Game-changer’ antibody test subject to scrutiny as eleventh hour London Tube rescue deal to cause fare hike

The Independent  

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Last week, a new antibody test developed by Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche, touted by the …

Coronavirus | Police get a guide to detect fake news
4 years, 8 months ago

Coronavirus | Police get a guide to detect fake news

The Hindu  

May 09, 2020 05:26 pm | Updated November 28, 2021 12:10 pm IST The Bureau of Police Research and Development has published a step-by-step guide for law enforcement agencies to identify “fake news” and videos intended to spread panic through hatred and communal violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The think-tank under the Union Home Ministry, in the …

May 5, 2020 coronavirus news
4 years, 8 months ago

May 5, 2020 coronavirus news

CNN  

Passengers wait in the departure hall of the high speed train station in Hong Kong on January 23. Kin Cheung/AP A new genetic analysis of the virus that causes Covid-19 taken from more than 7,600 patients around the world shows the virus has been circulating in people since late last year, and must have spread extremely quickly after the first …

US government report assesses China intentionally concealed severity of coronavirus
4 years, 8 months ago

US government report assesses China intentionally concealed severity of coronavirus

CNN  

Washington CNN — The Chinese government intentionally concealed the severity of the coronavirus from the international community while it stockpiled imports and decreased exports, a Department of Homeland Security report found, according to two administration officials familiar with the report. “You’ve got the facts just about right,” Pompeo told ABC’s “This Week” when asked if China intentionally stockpiled medical supplies …

Sharp increase in coronavirus fake news reports shared on Twiter
4 years, 8 months ago

Sharp increase in coronavirus fake news reports shared on Twiter

NL Times  

The number of unreliable news reports about the coronavirus shared on Twitter increased significantly over the past month. The fake news the researchers found involved things like the unproven link between 5G and Covid-19, false claims about medicines and household products that can "cure" people of the virus, and conspiracy theories about the rich allegedly fabricating the virus, according to …

Column: The COVID-19 crisis shows how dangerous misinformation becomes contagious
4 years, 8 months ago

Column: The COVID-19 crisis shows how dangerous misinformation becomes contagious

LA Times  

Deborah Birx, a member of the White House coronavirus task force, is often called upon to moderate President Trump’s speculations about COVID-19 remedies. “But how do you tell people to trust the federal government, but don’t pay attention to the president of the United States?” Misinformation spreads rapidly, especially in a time of great fear. The question is what can …

Fact check: Trump’s Saturday coronavirus briefing was littered with false claims, old and new
4 years, 8 months ago

Fact check: Trump’s Saturday coronavirus briefing was littered with false claims, old and new

CNN  

Washington CNN — It’s hard to know where to begin fact checking. The “cupboard” of medical supplies At Saturday’s briefing, President Trump repeated his claim that he inherited a “bare cupboard” of medical supplies to fight coronavirus from the Obama administration. “Broken Junk” Speaking about testing for the coronavirus, Trump said, “I inherited broken junk.” This is a claim he …

Facebook to warn users who ‘liked’ coronavirus hoaxes
4 years, 8 months ago

Facebook to warn users who ‘liked’ coronavirus hoaxes

Associated Press  

Facebook will soon let you know if you shared or interacted with dangerous coronavirus misinformation on the site, the latest in a string of aggressive efforts the social media giant is taking to contain an outbreak of viral falsehoods. Facebook will also begin promoting the articles that debunk COVID-19 misinformation, of which there are thousands, on a new information center …

Tech companies step up fight against bad coronavirus info
4 years, 8 months ago

Tech companies step up fight against bad coronavirus info

Associated Press  

CHICAGO — Potentially dangerous coronavirus misinformation has spread from continent to continent like the pandemic itself, forcing the world’s largest tech companies to take unprecedented action to protect public health. Pattison said he and his team now directly flag misleading coronavirus information and, at times, lobby for it to be removed from Facebook, Google and Google’s YouTube service. Twitter deleted …

What you need to know about coronavirus on Wednesday, April 8
4 years, 9 months ago

What you need to know about coronavirus on Wednesday, April 8

CNN  

A version of this story appeared in the April 8 edition of CNN’s Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction newsletter. Trump also denied seeing January memos from a top adviser warning about the gruesome toll the virus could exact on the country, and ousted the top watchdog overseeing a $2 trillion relief package. Meanwhile, Trump’s acting Navy Secretary quit after calling the …

7 FAKE coronavirus stories you must NOT fall for
4 years, 9 months ago

7 FAKE coronavirus stories you must NOT fall for

India TV News  

As COVID-19 outbreak continues to add to the stress of medical and health care workers across the globe, there has been a spurt in rumours and fake news around the internet and social media apps. We bring 7 most ridiculous fake stories that you must not fall for: 7 Fake Coronavirus Stories You Must Not Fall for India has entered …

Ibuprofen, furry friends and a COVID-19 vaccine. Coronavirus misinformation, debunked
4 years, 9 months ago

Ibuprofen, furry friends and a COVID-19 vaccine. Coronavirus misinformation, debunked

ABC  

As the world grapples with an unprecedented health crisis, it is now more important than ever to ensure that the information we share is accurate and fact-based. Stay up-to-date on the coronavirus outbreak Download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest on how the pandemic is impacting the world We also take …

Coronavirus Scams: 7 Ways Criminals Prey On Your Fear Of The Pandemic
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus Scams: 7 Ways Criminals Prey On Your Fear Of The Pandemic

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING No one is unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic. “If you get a call like that, do not give out your bank account details or Social Security number.” “If someone does call you regarding the stimulus, assume it’s a scam.” 2. Similarly, as more companies transition to working remotely, hackers may pose as popular web conferencing applications and …

Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the US. American culture might make it uniquely vulnerable
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus is spreading rapidly in the US. American culture might make it uniquely vulnerable

ABC  

In my neighbourhood in Washington DC, a lot of people mock President Donald Trump's 2020 election slogan "Keep America Great". For weeks, President Donald Trump contradicted health officials and played down the threat, claiming the virus was similar to the flu, telling people: "just stay calm, it will go away". would spread widely, rapidly, terribly, could kill potentially millions in …

Coronavirus | Centre asks social media firms to remove false news on COVID-19
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus | Centre asks social media firms to remove false news on COVID-19

The Hindu  

Taking cognisance of fake news reports on the Internet, the IT Ministry has asked all social media companies to immediately remove false news spreading misinformation about novel coronavirus from their platform. The Ministry of Electronics and IT issued an advisory on March 20 asking social media companies to inform users about not posting false news that can create panic among …

PIB Fact Check busts fake messages spawned by coronavirus
4 years, 9 months ago

PIB Fact Check busts fake messages spawned by coronavirus

Hindustan Times  

As coronavirus continues to infect more people in India, it is also spawning fake messages on social media platforms. PIB Fact Check, the official Twitter handle of the Press Information Bureau department that counters misinformation on government policies, said that the message was misleading as “drinking and gargling with warm water mixed with vinegar and salt cannot help ward off …

Beware the (computer) virus and other covid19 fraud
4 years, 9 months ago

Beware the (computer) virus and other covid19 fraud

Dutch News  

The need for information about coronavirus is giving rise to hackers and fake news merchants who are trying to spread malicious software via social media and designated websites, and people working form home should be extra vigilant, the Volkskrant warns. Beware a fake version of the authoritative Johns Hopkins University which tells people to download a map explaining the spread …

Fake news alert: No, there is no way to self-test for coronavirus
4 years, 9 months ago

Fake news alert: No, there is no way to self-test for coronavirus

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: One of the ways the internet claims you can test yourself for the coronavirus COVID-19, which shows up with symptoms such as sore throat, fever and cough, is to hold your breath for 10 seconds. Another trick used by those spreading fake news is the ominous message, “Here’s what the media is not telling you’, which prompts the public …

Watch the full CNN coronavirus town hall
4 years, 9 months ago

Watch the full CNN coronavirus town hall

CNN  

CNN — Didn’t get a chance to watch the full CNN/Facebook coronavirus town hall with CNN’s Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta? The latest news in the US and globally on coronavirus Video Ad Feedback Part 1: CNN/Facebook global coronavirus town hall 21:45 - Source: CNN Part 1 of the CNN/Facebook town hall takes a look at the facts surrounding …

FACT CHECK: Trump's Accusations About The Obama Administration And Swine Flu
4 years, 9 months ago

FACT CHECK: Trump's Accusations About The Obama Administration And Swine Flu

NPR  

FACT CHECK: Trump's Accusations About The Obama Administration And Swine Flu Enlarge this image toggle caption The White House via Getty Images The White House via Getty Images Updated at 5:39 p.m. In a series of tweets Friday morning, Trump accused former President Barack Obama of making unspecified changes that "complicated" the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention's testing system. …

Coronavirus FAQs: What's 'Flattening The Curve'? Should I Travel?
4 years, 9 months ago

Coronavirus FAQs: What's 'Flattening The Curve'? Should I Travel?

NPR  

Coronavirus FAQs: What's 'Flattening The Curve'? Enlarge this image toggle caption Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images Mehdi Taamallah/NurPhoto via Getty Images This is part of a new series looking at pressing coronavirus questions of the week. Enlarge this image toggle caption Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images Kenzo Tribouillard/AFP via Getty Images What's this talk about "flattening the curve"? Even if …

Misinformation, fake news spark India coronavirus fears
4 years, 10 months ago

Misinformation, fake news spark India coronavirus fears

Al Jazeera  

A wave of misinformation and rumour on COVID-19 floods phones, forcing the government to issue an advisory. From offering unverified home remedies to tackle the virus, to floating fake advisories asking people to avoid foods such as ice cream and chicken, and sharing conspiracy theories, Indians’ phones are being flooded with misinformation. Since the coronavirus outbreak last December in China, …

US warns 7 companies over fraudulent coronavirus claims
4 years, 10 months ago

US warns 7 companies over fraudulent coronavirus claims

Associated Press  

U.S. regulators warned seven companies to stop selling soaps, sprays and other concoctions with false claims that they can treat the new coronavirus or keep people from catching it. The letters, sent jointly by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission, warned the companies their products for treating COVID-19 were fraudulent, “pose significant risks to patient health …

Coronavirus Is A Global Threat. Mike Pompeo Won't Say Whether He Thinks It's A Hoax.
4 years, 10 months ago

Coronavirus Is A Global Threat. Mike Pompeo Won't Say Whether He Thinks It's A Hoax.

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refused to say that the coronavirus is not a hoax, as President Donald Trump and his allies increasingly try to manage the public health crisis in a way that benefits the president and his public image. It’s not useful,” Pompeo said when Rep. Ted Lieu asked him whether he believed the coronavirus …

Fake Facts Are Flying About Coronavirus. Now There's A Plan To Debunk Them
4 years, 10 months ago

Fake Facts Are Flying About Coronavirus. Now There's A Plan To Debunk Them

NPR  

Fake Facts Are Flying About Coronavirus. The coronavirus outbreak has sparked what the World Health Organization is calling an "infodemic" — an overwhelming amount of information on social media and websites. Sponsor Message "We need a vaccine against misinformation," said Dr. Mike Ryan, head of WHO's health emergencies program, at a WHO briefing on the virus in February. The approach, …

Fact-checking claims about the coronavirus
4 years, 10 months ago

Fact-checking claims about the coronavirus

CNN  

Washington CNN — Over the weekend, Republican Sen. Tom Cotton came under fire for a series of comments and tweets on the coronavirus. He claimed there are “at least four hypotheses about the origin of the virus,” ranging from “the engineered-bio weapon hypothesis” to “natural,” which Cotton calls “still the most likely but almost certainly not from the Wuhan food …

ALERT! Fraudsters prey on coronavirus fears, scam people through emails
4 years, 10 months ago

ALERT! Fraudsters prey on coronavirus fears, scam people through emails

India TV News  

By Sunny Daud It is almost two months now since the first case of the novel coronavirus surfaced in China’s Hubei province. Since December, the death toll on account of the coronavirus has risen to 1,380 in China alone, with three more deaths reported outside the mainland—one each in Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan. There is a simple phishing …

WHO warns overseas coronavirus spread may be 'tip of the iceberg'
4 years, 11 months ago

WHO warns overseas coronavirus spread may be 'tip of the iceberg'

India TV News  

The head of the World Health Organization said on Monday there have been "concerning instances" of coronavirus among people with no travel history to China, warning that it could be the "tip of the iceberg", as he urged all countries to prepare for the possible arrival of the novel virus that has killed over 900 people. The death toll in …

Misinformation about the coronavirus abounds, but correcting it can backfire
4 years, 11 months ago

Misinformation about the coronavirus abounds, but correcting it can backfire

LA Times  

A cellphone displays coronavirus information from the Alhambra Unified School District, which is battling rumors and misinformation about the outbreak. “Misinformation is a worrisome consequence of any emerging epidemic,” said Dartmouth College political scientist Brendan Nyhan, who studies conspiracy theories and those who believe them. In social media communities devoted to those beliefs, speculations about the coronavirus circulate daily, said …

China coronavirus outbreak: All the latest updates
4 years, 11 months ago

China coronavirus outbreak: All the latest updates

Al Jazeera  

New outbreak death toll nears 500, as confirmed cases pass 24,500, with majority of infections and deaths in China. Coronavirus a ‘new layer of uncertainty’ for economy: ECB’s Lagarde The spread of the virus presents “a new layer of uncertainty” the the European economy, European Central Bank chief Christine Lagarde said. “Airbus is constantly evaluating the situation and monitoring any …

Coronavirus transmission: Report that said Wuhan virus can spread before symptoms was flawed
4 years, 11 months ago

Coronavirus transmission: Report that said Wuhan virus can spread before symptoms was flawed

CNN  

CNN — A report that suggested Wuhan coronavirus could spread before the onset of symptoms was flawed, according to public health experts. An early study on asymptomatic transmission of the virus published last week in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine and appeared to confirm Chinese health officials’ assessment. “In contrast to first reports according to which the index …

Coronavirus fake news, false miracle cures spreading all over social media
4 years, 11 months ago

Coronavirus fake news, false miracle cures spreading all over social media

Live Mint  

The new coronavirus roiling financial markets and prompting travel bans is taking on a life of its own on the internet, once again putting U.S.-based social media companies on the defensive about their efforts to curb the spread of false or dangerous information. Posts attributing the coronavirus to Chinese culinary practices have blown up, and a review of a new …

As coronavirus spreads, so too does online misinformation
4 years, 11 months ago

As coronavirus spreads, so too does online misinformation

CNN  

New York CNN Business — False claims about how the coronavirus began, the number of people infected and promises of magical cures are spreading on the internet. “It always has to be something sinister,” Schenk said of the conspiracy theorists’ misinformation, which includes false claims that the virus was the creation of a government. Once Facebook posts and links containing …

An AI Epidemiologist Sent the First Warnings of the Coronavirus
4 years, 11 months ago

An AI Epidemiologist Sent the First Warnings of the Coronavirus

Wired  

On January 9, the World Health Organization notified the public of a flu-like outbreak in China: a cluster of pneumonia cases had been reported in Wuhan, possibly from vendors’ exposure to live animals at the Huanan Seafood Market. BlueDot uses an AI-driven algorithm that scours foreign-language news reports, animal and plant disease networks, and official proclamations to give its clients …

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