The coronavirus is the first true social media “infodemic”

#socialmedia

in·fo·dem·ic

noun

1. an excessive amount of information about a problem that is typically unreliable, spreads rapidly, and makes a solution more difficult to achieve: "He told a press conference there was an infodemic of false information spreading throughout the world"

Social media has zipped information and misinformation around the world at unprecedented speeds, fueling panic, racism … and hope.

“Honestly, it’s really hard to describe what happened during these 14 days,” he says. “There’s nothing to do but read the news, and the news gets worse every day. That’s the hardest part for the people outside.”

Indeed, the coronavirus pandemic has been characterized as the first true social media “infodemic”. Unlike previous viral outbreaks such as SARS, MERS, and Zika, the COVID-19 infodemic has been amplified by social media, allowing both accurate information and disinformation to spread at unprecedented speeds.

This environment of heightened uncertainty has fueled anxiety and racism both in person and online. It’s a complex phenomenon that underscores the powerful impact of social media on global events.