How to Cure Viral Misinformation

Seriously...

BBC

Documentary, Society & Culture

4.1 • 885 Ratings

🗓️ 24 April 2020

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The World Health Organisation calls it an “infodemic” – a flood of information about the coronavirus pandemic. Amid the good advice and the measured uncertainty, there’s a ton of false claims, conspiracy theories and health tips which are just plain wrong. We’ve been working to fight the tide of bad info, and in this programme BBC Trending reporters Marianna Spring and Mike Wendling trace the story of one specific viral post. It's a list of supposed facts about the virus and what you can do to protect yourself. Some of the tips are true, some are false but relatively harmless, and some are potentially dangerous. Who’s behind the post – and how did it spread? Here’s our list of seven key tips on how to stop viral misinformation: 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

Presenters: Marianna Spring and Mike Wendling

Transcript

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0:00.0	This was an impregnable fortress. The only way you get out was in a wooden box.
0:05.0	The controversial maximum security prison impossible to escape from.
0:09.0	And one of the duties of a political prisoner is the escape.
0:12.0	The IRA inmates who found a way. of a political prisoner is the escape.
0:12.5	The IRA inmates who found a way.
0:14.5	I'm Carlo Gableer and I'll be navigating a path
0:19.5	through the disturbing inside story of the biggest jailbreak in British and Irish history.
0:25.0	The narrative that they want is that this is a big achievement by them.
0:28.5	Escape from the maze, listen first on BBC Sounds.
0:35.0	BBC Sounds. BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:39.0	So you are social distancing and self isolating.
0:42.0	What could be better to pass the time
0:43.7	than a hastily compiled, timely lockdown listen
0:46.6	comedy corona cast as Jake Yap.
0:48.5	John Holmes, Am the Shah.
0:49.9	And Nat Tapley drop in on comedians who simply have nothing better to do than talk to us over their Shonky internet connections.
0:57.0	But in my kitchen I have to be quite close to my daughter.
1:01.0	Here is Miranda's guide. It's in a gray color. I want to say
1:06.0	slate. Can I say slate? No? I'll say it all again, don't worry. Now wash your hands. A warm, we're all in it together cast hooking everyone up not in a tinderway
1:14.8	social distancing across the nation.
1:17.8	Subscribe on BBC sounds.
1:20.2	Hi I'm Rhiana Dillon and you're listening to another seriously great podcast from BBC Radio 4.
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