Canada's Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam is worried that during the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials are also fighting an epidemic of misinformation about the disease.
She explained well-intentioned people typically share misinformation that they believe to be true, but the source can often be traced back to a deliberate fabrication.
Tam said people consume huge amounts of information, and but also come across more disinformation. Sources of disinformation can range from "robots" or "bots" that are set up to blast out mass communications, or they may be actual people who share false information for political, money-generating, or other less-than-admirable reasons.
While it can be difficult to stop the flow of disinformation given the sophisticated, systematic, and highly convincing ways it reaches screens and devices, Tam says everyone can play a part in stopping it from spreading to others. For instance, when you see something and share it with friends, neighbours, colleagues, and acquaintances, you are giving it a stamp of approval and increasing the credibility of the information. The trust that each of your contacts has in you makes disinformation seem more authentic and believable.
She said before sharing information, people need to ask if it is true, if it's kind, or necessary.
Tam said that with the amount of information that we consume each day, it is now more important than ever to ask ourselves these questions and seek out trusted and reliable sources of information to guide us. She adds the Government of Canada website, Canada.ca/coronavirus, is a good place to start for credible information.
There are also resources that can help you and your family boost your digital and media literacy skills. One example is Mediasmarts.ca, where you can find many resources including specific resources for families and educators to maintain a balance with technology use during COVID-19."
