Spread of misinformation online
We don’t have to wait for a day for a newspaper to come and we will know what had happened in entire past day. We don’t have to start our television set to know what is the current breaking news surfacing on every next channel. Anywhere we are, we have a device – smartphone, tab or laptop – with internet facility, and we know everything on just tip of a finger. There is plethora of information available on internet. We browse through on any topic, just putting a keyword into the search box.
And we have unlimited information on a topic available in front of us. The information is in so much abundance that we can read only a part of it, as per our requirement. However, the saddening part is this, a lot of information available on internet may be fake, misleading or half truth with vested interests. And here comes the challenge of choosing the right information and keeping aside the wrong ones. In pandemic times, misinformation can do more harm than that in normal days.
Spread of misinformation online: Pledge to Pause
During coronavirus ourbreak, there is no dearth of false information disseminated on social media. Calling this a “communications emergency”, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has asked people out there in the world to take a breath before they share any content online. As part of broader efforts to create “a new social media norm” to contest the impact of viral misinformation, the UN chief, recently, launched the #PledgetoPause campaign.
Suggesting that the wrong information can be deadly in Covid-19 pandemic times, the UN chief asked everyone to join hands in taking the #PledgetoPause before sharing. This will help stop the spread of misinformation online, he said, sharing https://takecarebeforeyoushare.org link for the campaign. The #PledgetoPause campaign is based on a study. If you take small pause before sharing information, this can significantly reduce the inclination to share shocking or emotive material.
Break the chain of misinformation
This process of pause slows down the spread of misinformation in online mode. This new campaign is a part of Verified, which was a UN initiative launched in May this year. The initiative aimed to share science-backed health information and stories of global solidarity around Covid-19. Apart from being a health crisis, Covid-19 is also a communications emergency, says UN Department for Global Communications Head Melissa Fleming.
Spread of misinformation results in loss of public trust. And people make frequent decisions that affect the public response as well as their own lives, she added. It is very obvious that successful tackling of the pandemic is not possible without addressing online misinformation, she asserted. We all can help break the chain of misinformation if we pause before sharing any information online. The UN is already working with social media platforms to suggest changes in this regard, she informed.
During the launch of Verified initiative, the UN had said, while working together to tackle Covid-19, we must also work towards responding to misinformation. This is the reason for the launch of Verified, said the global agency. The initiative aims to deliver trusted information, life-saving advice and stories from the best of humanity. The international body had also shared http://shareverified.com/en link for the initiative.
How to refrain from sharing misinformation online
Here, I am leaving you with a few steps and checks you must know before sharing any information online. Many times, it’s better to not share any information rather than sharing false information or misinformation at any platform. So, have a glance of them and be kind with your circle, which you can save from being harmed by miscommunication and misinformation.
- Be critical of information you get on social media
- Check if the author is trust-able for that information
- Check if the information available on social media is factually correct
- Confirm the information from an authentic news website
- If you know the person who shared wrong information, ask them to remove it
- In other case, report the false information to the platform admins
- Raise your voice against the people who share fake information
- Always take time to verify before re-sharing information
