Skip to content
How to stop viral misinformation episode artwork

Apr 4, 2020 18 min

How to stop viral misinformation

from Trending Hosted by BBC World Service

We’re in the middle of an “infodemic” – that’s the slightly clunky word the World Health Organisation has used to describe the deluge of information about coronavirus. While some of it is accurate, the facts swim in a vast sea of more dubious content – misinformation, disinformation, conspiracy theories, unproven cures and bad health advice. So what can we all do to stop the spread of misinformation to our friends, family and contacts on social media? We’ve talked to the experts and have collected seven key tips: 1. Stop and think 2. Check your source 3. Ask yourself, could it be a fake? 4. If you’re unsure whether it’s true … don’t share. 5. Check each fact, individually. 6. Beware emotional posts. 7. Think about biases Think of it as the digital equivalent of washing your hands.

Episode details come from the podcast's RSS feed.

Embed this episode

Ready to play

How to stop viral misinformation

0:00 18:35

No transcript yet.

Requests help us decide what to transcribe next.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this episode of Trending?

This episode is 18 minutes long.

When was this Trending episode published?

This episode was published on April 4, 2020.

Can I download this Trending episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.