Disinformation during a pandemic can be deadly
Viral posts about home tests and DIY cures for coronavirus have been cropping up these past few weeks. (Pexels/)This story originally featured on Nexus Media, a syndicated newswire covering climate, energy, policy, art, and culture.Rumors take hold after every crisis, whether it’s a global pandemic or a climate-driven disaster. Social media makes it easy. Anyone can post any story, true or not, and count on others to share it, particularly if it inspires anxiety, fear or anger.While rumors can fuel stress, however, they are not meant to hurt other people, experts say. Rumors are simply a way for people to try to make sense of scary events, especially when they don’t have access to reliable sources of information.“With rumors, it’s just people trying to figure something out. They are nervous. It’s just people sharing something they’ve heard, thinking it might help someone else,” says Kate Starbird, co-founder of the University...