COVID-19 Has Transformed The Way Social Media Apps Are Spreading Fake News.
Recently, with fake news spreading about the pandemic, social media apps that once encouraged
the spread of fake news are now making an effort to halt it.

While the term “fake news” gained popularity about five years ago, disinformation has been
infiltrating the media since the 1600s. NPR reported that the first American newspaper, Publick
Occurrences, printed in 1690, was quickly shut down for spreading fabricated information. Now,
hundreds of years later, America has been ravaged by a new threat -- COVID-19.

“We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic. Fake news... is just as
dangerous,” said World Health Organization Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a Los
Angeles Times article.

Fake New’s Presence Within The Media

When someone believes unreliable advice or false information, the consequences can be very
serious. To avoid falling into the trap of fake news, it is key to understand how it affects readers,
be aware of its presence on social media apps, and understand how it has changed as a result of
the pandemic, becoming even more harmful.

Over the last decade, social media apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have completely
changed the way people communicate. These platforms allow for the instant sharing of
information and documenting of events, making staying in touch easier than ever. Social media
intends to connect family and friends, but anyone can see public content.

But pictures and thoughts are not the only things shared on social media-- fake news is also
widespread. Anyone can make a seemingly credible website or upload content to social media
platforms.

As the number of social media users increases, so do the number of people exposed to
disinformation. According to Wayne State University, disinformation refers to the release of
“intentionally disseminating false information,” while misinformation is information that is
accidentally incorrect. Disinformation is often shared and reposted by users who don’t know that
the information is not trustworthy. With some quick fact-checking this problem would lessen,
but oftentimes users fail to question the accuracy of what they read.

The Damages of Disinformation

This is exactly the problem. Oftentimes, people believe what they read, and when the
information contains scary and/or false statements, readers can get stressed out, worrying that it’s

 
 

true. Fake news damages the mental health of those reading it. Writer Karina Erdelyi reported to
Psycom, a mental health website, that “a lot of negative feelings… [are] fueled by being tuned in
to the 24-hour news cycle.”

“I use about six social media apps daily, and I will admit that I substitute news sites with these
platforms,” said Emily Herberholz, a University of Maryland student. “I subconsciously know
that I am not always getting the most accurate news, but somehow, it still stresses me out when I
read nerve-wracking statements online, whether real or not.”

Fake news is “designed to provoke an emotional response from a reader/viewer,” psychiatrist

Vasilis K. Pozios MD told Psycom. “It’s often inflammatory in nature and can elicit feelings of
anger, suspicion, anxiety, and even depression by distorting our thinking.”

Psycom describes fake news as “information warfare,” because the internet allows people to
manipulate others on websites or social media by posting fabricated content. Receiving
inaccurate information is not beneficial to the reader, who wants facts. In fact, it is very harmful.

Herberholz is in the same situation as many other people; she gets nervous upon reading
terrifying information in the media. Emily Cohen, a high school senior at Charles E. Smith
Jewish Day School in Maryland, noted that she heard a story that Bernie Sanders was attacked
by anti-Semites after a rally. This turned out to be fake news, but the Jewish teen was
immediately nervous about anti-Semitic violence in the country upon hearing the overdramatized
story.

How The Pandemic Changed The Infodemic

Recently, the subject of both real and fake news has changed, and the infodemic is now more
dangerous than before. In January, the coronavirus pandemic hit the United States and news
about it spread around the country faster than the illness itself. With so much news focusing on
the virus, some false and some real, stories conflict. It’s difficult to know what to believe.

One recent rumor was that essential oils are curing victims of the virus due to their antibacterial
effects. Another rumor was that young people are immune to the virus. Yet some say that
children are more prone to getting the virus and that they show different symptoms than adults,
such as rashes. A third was that, like malaria, the coronavirus can be transmitted through
mosquito bites, and to stay safe, no one should go outside.

Although these egregious statements seem like they could be true, they are not. And despite their
falsehood, they spread throughout the world quickly, leading thousands of people to see them,

 
 

and oftentimes, believe them. With the entire population of the world already worried about the
virus, fake news makes matters worse.

Triggering emotional distress in readers is one goal of fake news, and it’s often accomplished.
Psycom shared a study by the American Psychological Association which concluded that 66% of
Americans are stressed out about the future due to the constant fear inflicted by the news. When
information is deceitful and scary, the stress the reader feels is increased.

With the malaria rumor, if true, people would worry that it is not safe to go outdoors at all.
People would not only be trapped inside of their homes to social distance, but they would also be
unable to seek relief outdoors. This rumor brings added stress to a population that is already
worried about the pandemic.

“When I heard online that mosquitos were transmitting the virus, I freaked out,” said Lauren
Bode, an Elon University student. “The only thing that's been keeping me sane during the
pandemic has been going on runs and spending time outside, so hearing that the virus was taking
fresh air away from me was terrifying.”

The uncertainty surrounding the virus makes it even more terrifying. Details about the virus, like
the exact symptoms, how it is transmitted, the incubation period, and the methods of recovery are
still unknown and will be for a long time. Internet lies can have physical consequences too, not
just mental ones.

Recently, President Donald Trump publicly said that ingesting hydroxychloroquine, a chemical,
would kill the virus which was not supported by scientific data. While many would mark this as
a “do not try” due to the danger it presents, Arizona residents Gary and Wanda Lenius both
ingested about a teaspoon of a chemical that they mistook for hydroxychloroquine (Fruen).
Lauren Fruen, a journalist for Daily Mail, reported that Gary passed away, but Wanda is in
critical condition.

Social Media Apps Are Making a Change

Fake news is a large issue, but what is more problematic is that social media platforms encourage
its dispersion. Disinformation is not new, but over the years, there have been no fulfilled efforts
made by social media apps to limit or halt it. Facebook began to try to limit false news in 2017,
but was largely unsuccessful, as the efforts of one platform could not beat the entirety of fake
news. But that is now changing.

 
 

Those running social media have realized that deceptive news about the pandemic is “feed[ing]
the fear, anxiety, and mental stress that many people are experiencing” said Bernard Marr, a
best-selling author, in a Daily Mail article.

With an influx of false information spreading about the virus, many social media platforms have
decided that now is the time to make a change. Rather than allowing users to post false news, the
apps and websites are deleting fake news and constantly posting factual information.

Kristi Kellogg, a journalist affiliated with Search Engine Journal, reported that Facebook is the
largest social media site, with about 2.45 billion users worldwide. With that many people on the
platform, the network is responsible for keeping “users safe from misinformation, as well as
exploitative practices” said Marr. Facebook recently “deployed algorithms to look for false or
sensationalist claims made in advertising,” which will lead to deleted posts.

Facebook has also temporarily banned the selling of certain desired items, like hand sanitizer and
masks, to prevent fake products from being sold, said Marr. Additionally, Facebook CEO Mark
Zuckerburg announced that the platform will post fact-checked information from verified health
organizations at the tops of users' feeds, reported by BCS, the British Computer Society.

After Facebook, Instagram is the second most widely used social media app, and unlike many
others, multiple age groups are plugged into the app. With so many younger users who are
unlikely to fact check information, those behind Instagram realized that they must limit fake
news on the app to prevent dangerous consequences. So, the Facebook-owned app is redirecting
anyone searching for terms related to “coronavirus” to reliable accounts (Marr). Also, according
to a Firstpost article, Instagram is deleting posts about the virus that don’t come from a reliable
account.

“It’s refreshing to open the app and see the World Health Organization and Center for Disease
Control’s accounts at the top of my timeline rather than be bombarded with fake information,”
said Lauren Bode, the Elon student and an avid social media user.

Like these two social media giants, many other platforms are doing similar things to halt the
spread of false information. BCS wrote that Twitter announced that it will be deleting tweets that
“promote fake [COVID-19] treatments or deny expert advice” to keep the site clean of fake
news. As reported by Marr, Reddit, an app that prides itself on promoting freedom of speech, has
formed chat rooms for coronavirus posts. When a reader enters, they are warned that the
information is not reliable. Even TikTok, a new social media platform, has posted a warning
message on any video with the hashtag “coronavirus.”

 
 

“I really appreciate the efforts that social media apps are making,” said Cohen. “I’ve definitely
been more anxious than usual because of the virus, so it’s nice to know that when I’m scrolling
through Instagram or TikTok that I’m seeing less fake news and actually being provided reliable
information.”

Like the virus, the attempts to halt deceptive news are worldwide. Reuters reported that in
Vietnam, people are being fined for posting fake news online. Reuters stated that “[A] fine of
10-20 million dong ($426-$853)… will be imposed on people who use social media to share
false, untruthful, distorted, or slanderous information.”

With the actions of social media platforms to limit fake news, less will circulate, and
disinformation will negatively affect fewer people. An absence of lies in the media will reduce
the stress of readers, as they can focus on reality.

If social media platforms continue to monitor fake news about the coronavirus, not only will the
stress of readers decrease, but those posting it will be discouraged from doing so again in the
future. With continued efforts, both the pandemic and infodemic will cease in the future.

 
 

Works Cited
“Coronavirus Outbreak: Instagram Steps up Efforts to Curb Spread of Misinformation amid
Rising COVID-19 Cases.” Firstpost, 25 Mar. 2020.
www.firstpost.com/health/instagram-steps-up-efforts-to-curb-spread-of-coronavirus-misi
nformation-8189781.html​. Accessed 9 May 2020.
Erdelyi, Karina Margit. “The Psychological Impact of Information Warfare & Fake News.”
Psycom, ​www.psycom.net/iwar.1.html​. Accessed 7 Mar. 2020.
Fruen, Lauren. “PICTURED: Man Who Died Ingesting Fish Tank Cleaner Thinking It Was
Malaria Drug Championed by Trump.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 25
Apr. 2020,
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8255265/PICTURED-Man-died-ingesting-fish-tank-cl
eaner-thinking-malaria-drug-championed-Trump.html​. Accessed 4 May 2020.
“How to Spot Fake Coronavirus News on Social Media.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles
Times, 26 Mar. 2020,
www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-25/how-to-spot-fake-coronavirus-news-on-so
cial-media​. Accessed 2 May 2020.
Kellogg, Kristi. “The 7 Biggest Social Media Sites in 2020.” Search Engine Journal, 5 Feb.
2020, ​www.searchenginejournal.com/social-media/biggest-social-media-sites/​. Accessed
9 May 2020.
Marr, Bernard. “Coronavirus Fake News: How Facebook, Twitter, And Instagram Are Tackling
The Problem.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 27 Mar. 2020,
www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2020/03/27/finding-the-truth-about-covid-19-how-fac
ebook-twitter-and-instagram-are-tackling-fake-news/#4f6eea061977​. Accessed 2 May
2020.
“Propaganda, Misinformation, Disinformation & Fact Finding Resources.” Wayne State
University Library System, Wayne State University,
guides.lib.wayne.edu/c.php?g=401320&p=2729574.
“Social Media Giants to Stop Fake News Spreading the Coronavirus.” ​BCS The Chartered
Institute for IT​, 20 Mar. 2020,
www.bcs.org/content-hub/social-media-giants-to-stop-fake-news-spreading-the-coronavir
us/​. Accessed 4 May 2020.
Vedantam, Shankar, et al. “Fake News: An Origin Story.” NPR, 26 June 2018,
www.npr.org/2018/06/25/623231337/fake-news-an-origin-story​. Accessed 6 March
2020.

“You Can Now Be Fined in Vietnam for Spreading Fake News about Coronavirus on Social
Media.” Reuters. 15 Apr. 2020,
www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vietnam-security/vietnam-introduces-fake
-news-fines-for-coronavirus-misinformation-idUSKCN21X0EB​. Accessed 10 May 2020.