'It plays to our worst fears': Coronavirus misinformation fuelled by social media

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https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/coronavirus-canada-social-media-misinformation-1.5440334

Experts say social media has increased the spread of misinformation during outbreaks

People collapsing in the streets of Wuhan, coverups of unreported deaths and travellers "escaping" quarantine in China at risk of spreading the coronavirus.

If you've been following the outbreak on social media, you may have seen some, or more, of these types of claims.

But the truth is, they're completely unverified – and in most cases, flat out untrue.

Social media has completely changed the way in which information about a disease outbreak travels around the world and experts say it's not for the better.

"When there's a lack of information and there's fear, rumours come in to fill that gap," said Alfred Hermida, professor and director of the journalism program at the University of British Columbia.

"The reason people are sharing this is because they're trying to make sense of what is a really complicated situation and also something that is potentially worrying. The danger is that it spins out of control, because fear then takes over."

Hermida began tracking the rate at which information about the coronavirus has been shared on Twitter since coverage of the outbreak began late last month.

Fear makes smart people do stupid things, like believe that racism will help somehow.