{"id":4502,"date":"2020-02-18T14:49:34","date_gmt":"2020-02-18T14:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/?p=4502"},"modified":"2022-03-02T13:51:04","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T13:51:04","slug":"fact-checking-and-fast-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/articles\/news\/fact-checking-and-fast-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Fact checking and fast news"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Alan MEBAN for FactCheckNI<\/strong> (18 February 2020<\/strong>)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

False information can cost lives. Unintentional misinformation and deliberate disinformation being shared about the current coronavirus outbreak could cause unnecessary anxiety or could cause vulnerable people to drop their guard and expose themselves to a greater risk of infection.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research suggests that the spread of anti-vaccination conspiracies in Africa deter some parents from protecting their children and will lead to increased infection and needless deaths. Closer to home, the spread of false information during rioting and civil disturbances can heighten community tension and put people in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participating in a recent lunchtime webinar<\/a> organised by ResponseSource, I commented<\/a> that while social media are used to spread misinformation and disinformation, these platforms also give access to a \u201chuge, big brain\u201d of \u201cexperts who do actually know some of those numbers or do know what happened\u201d who can pick holes in arguments and claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n