#STOPCOVID19 AND MISINFORMATION: UNIVERSITY OF PISA, SANT’ANNA SCHOOL AND SCUOLA NORMALE SUPERIORE STUDENTS LAUNCH INITIATIVE TO FIGHT CORONAVIRUS FAKE NEWS PROMOTING VIDEO ADVICE AND RELIABLE ONLINE SOURCES OF INFORMATION
We all need to rely on accurate medical information about Covid-19 and avoid unregulated online news sources, false posts, bad advice or fake news. As well as promoting good advice, the #stopcodiv19 team comprising 25 Medical and Biotechnology students from the University of Pisa, Sant’Anna School and Scuola Normale Superiore have been fighting fake news and misinformation about the virus in the media and online, checking out national and international health centers for disease control and prevention.
As the coronavirus pandemic has spread all over the world, and so has fake news, the #stopcovid19 team has been working tirelessly to combat misinformation, false and malicious web content and point people toward accurate medical information. Despite efforts to prevent fake news dissemination and remove harmful content on social media, authorities and private groups called for a global response to virus-related misinformation. Over the last weeks, the #stopcodiv19 team has been able to direct people searching for the latest information to official public health advice and recommendations.
As fact checkers, students underline the importance of a collective effort to alert people that social media content and posts might include information that has been deemed false or inaccurate: “We encourage people and users to evaluate the information sources. Our video message will help you work out if the information is appropriate and judge if what you found on the Internet is trustworthy.”
Stay updated with the #stopcovid19 Telegram public channel (#stopcovid19) to get new royalty-free content added daily.
