The ongoing coronavirus crisis has led to the emergence of several unconventional social behaviors. While many of these are harmless and even amusing — such as the rise in binge shopping or the sudden interest of many in home baking — others have brought grave consequences. The latter include the swift rise in popularity of fringe groups and cults; but more notably, we are experiencing a bizarre phenomenon that spreads even faster than the coronavirus and has already killed thousands worldwide.

Earlier this year, WHO chief Tedros Ghebreyesus warned that we are facing not merely the coronavirus pandemic but also an associated “infodemic”. WHO explains that an infodemic is “an overabundance of information — some accurate and some not — that makes it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance when they need it”. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, experts analyzed the role of different information platforms such as online newspapers, social media, and television channels. They discovered that platforms in 87 countries and 25 languages were spreading “rumors, stigma, and conspiracy theories”. These figures provide insight into the sheer scale of the infodemic. 

This gigantic amount of information can damage our well-being in countless ways. By making it difficult to identify accurate health advice, it makes us more vulnerable to making poor decisions. Constant exposure to such misinformation spreading on multiple outlets — news channels, social media, newspapers, and so on — causes mental fatigue and an overall disregard towards expert advice. Studies correlate social media exposure to COVID-related misinformation and failure to comply with public health measures. Snake-oil remedies channeled on these platforms have affected millions. A horrifying result of such misinformation was observed in Iran, where the people felt highly dissatisfied with the government’s actions and so resorted to fake remedies circulating in the communities and online. Hundreds of people lost their lives by consuming methanol, a highly toxic substance, and thousands of others were permanently disabled. Uninformed people in authority positions are exacerbating the infodemic; we need look no further than the infamous claims from the US president. To a layman’s eyes, everything looks the same on Twitter.

The infodemic has impacted us more extensively than the pandemic. It has introduced a vacuum in our societies which is getting filled by racist and xenophobic elements. Right-wing and ultra-nationalist ideologies have seen a massive rise in support. Most recently, a conspiracy group called QAnon has received worldwide support. Their increasing influence and popularity will have ramifications even after the virus has gone. Moreover, ethnic and racial tensions have heightened globally. In many places, minority groups and foreigners are being blamed for the current situation, and this has led to hundreds of episodes of violence.

A study by the Reuters Institute found that a significant portion of misinformation is specifically targeting governments and international bodies such as WHO. As a key step in refuting this misinformation,WHO has established an online portal that includes a comprehensive list of questions, including many infamous claims of coronavirus skeptics and deniers, and provides clear and authoritative answers and explanations. It also includes sections on travel advice, general guidelines for the public, situation reports, and information about global vaccine development efforts.

While infodemics cannot be completely eliminated, they can be controlled. To better understand their nature and combat them, WHO hosted the first global conference on infodemiology this summer. It invited top experts from all relevant fields including epidemiology, cyber security, and behavioral science. The conference sought to understand the origins of misinformation, how it propagates, and how the individuals and communities respond to it. Experts then recommended a set of actions for everyone to build mutual trust and resilience towards the infodemic. A number of tools were also established for governments to inhibit the spread of misinformation. It was an important step in building a community of practice and research and to push a global public research agenda. 

It is clear that our current disposition towards news and social media leaves us vulnerable to misinformation, and in a crucial time like this pandemic, this can be deadly. Unlike other issues such as climate change, we cannot solely focus on creating greater public awareness. There is a need for ordinary people to better understand medical research and to be more critical of what they see in information platforms. Moreover, media sources such as news outlets should be more careful in presenting accurate news instead of sensationalizing every new development. In some cases, one can never be fully certain about the credibility of information; even credible sources like the WHO website have experienced cyber-attacks. The key is to look at new information in context of the recommendations from experts and not waste time and energy on non-credible sources at all. People in positions of political authority should be legally required to conform to professional advice. Lastly, if it comes down to it, governments should be willing to monitor and control information sources, for not doing so is risking human lives.