Post COVID-19 Recovery: New network emerges to tackle global misinformation
A new network called the Africa Infodemic Response Alliance (AIRA) has been launched to fight COVID-19 misinformation in the continent and the world.
This was announced by Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation Regional Director for Africa who stated that misinformation remains a major threat to the global efforts against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The alliance has brought together 13 international and regional organizations, with fact-checking groups which have expertise in data and behavioural science, epidemiology, research, digital health and communications.
Moeti said the alliance had the resourceful skills to help halt the impact of dangerous misinformation.
“In health emergencies, misinformation can kill and ensure diseases continue to spread.
“People need some proven, science-based facts to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing, and a glut of information – an infodemic – with misinformation in the mix makes it hard to know what is right and real.
“AIRA is the first initiative of its kind, working to detect, disrupt and counter damaging misinformation on public health issues in Africa. ”
Among the many working to fight misinformation, India’s first female comic superhero Priya, a gang-rape survivor who earlier campaigned against rape, acid attack and sex trafficking has become a strong voice against infodemic as it thrives fake news concerning the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research shows that between February and November of this year, information about the virus has been shared and viewed over 270 billion times online, and mentioned nearly 40 million times on Twitter and web-based news sites, in the 47 countries of the WHO African Region.
Further research from the first draft of the Covid-19 vaccine narratives, misinformation and data deficits on social media also show that there was an increase in anti-vaccine misinformation over the last few months, coinciding with announcements around the new COVID-19 vaccines.
These facts emphasise the importance of tackling misinformation and the great role play of the social media platforms in the fight.
Already, Facebook has taken the bold step of removing COVID-19 vaccine misinformation from its platform. Stating that enforcing the policies won’t happen straight away but it is a continuous process.
Suzan O
