Journalism 133: Prof. Craig: Coronavirus Fake News
Coronavirus Fake News
As with any major news story, there is all kinds of misinformation ('fake news") about Coronavirus (COVID-19) floating around online. In many cases, it's an exaggeration of something true -- declaring something to be factual when it's just a theory, overstating a benign fact or misunderstanding elements of a true story. In other cases, it's something created to deceive, or taking unfounded speculation as truth. Here are a few examples from your assignment.
- The disease originated from people in China who were eating bats.
- The disease was created in a lab in China.
- California is preparing to enact martial law over COVID-19 violations.
- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is preparing to mobilize the National Guard in response to COVID-19.
- COVID-19 is spreading quickly from gas pumps.
- Existing products cure COVID-19, including bleach, colloidal silver, vitamin C, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
- Four out of five people with COVID-19 will never show any symptoms.
- COVID-19 is God's vengeance against a sinful world.