Canada is not immune to the COVID-19 conspiracy virus

As with coronaviruses, false alarms about conspiracy theories and COVID-19 are contagious and can easily spread among Canadians.

• Is hydroxychloroquine an effective treatment for infected people?

• Was the coronavirus genetically engineered as a biological weapon in the laboratory?

• Does regular rinsing of the nose with saline protect you from coronaviruses?

False, unproven, and not true, respectively.

However, recent research suggests that Canadians are exposed to high levels of bad information about COVID-19, many of whom “False pandemic” or “information pandemic”.

Carlton University Faculty of Journalism and Communication Released Survey Last week, almost half of Canadians, 46%, believed at least one of the four COVID-19 conspiracy theories. Similar research Sherbrooke University in Quebec notes that one in ten Canadians believes in conspiracy theory.

See | Experts Warn About Products Claimed To Cure And Prevent Coronavirus:

Both studies found that young people were more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and false news. That’s no wonder given that disinformation is the most prevalent and most pervasive on social media, a major news source for young Canadians.

But all age groups are affected.

“Everyone is being eaten by misinformation on social media,” said Sarah Evertz, an associate professor and co-researcher of Carlton Studies. “Anyone who finds it easy to distinguish between conspiracy theory and false alarms is at a high risk of being fooled.”

Trust the best news ever

Some of the leading social media and search platforms have taken steps to limit and reduce the amount of misinformation in their feeds, but controlling the Internet is difficult. CBC News says that even distrustful stories and false claims Plandemic, 26-minute documentary-style video packed with misleading and misleading claims about COVID-19 — Keep rising Alternative sites and platforms.

This is all the more so why reputable news outlets have to spend resources on COVID-19’s claims to confirm facts.

The good news is that many serious media outlets in Canada have done just that by dedicating journalists to this important task.

The better news is that public confidence in these traditional news organizations has skyrocketed to set a record high in Canada when the pandemic took place. “Trust Barometer” Report Marketing company Edelman Canada.

In CBC News, COVID-19 False Information Unit Factually confirm viral COVID-19 claims on social media and other platforms. The goal is to maintain a platform that accounts for the spread of malicious information and unconfirmed claims. Accurately capture information from verified professionals. And trying to help Canadians navigate the minefield of false and misleading information. Find links to the team’s recent work below.

(CBC’s French service Radio-Canada has a similar unit, Cryptanalyst.. )

See | CBC Marketplace reveals COVID-19 immunity scams.

Meanwhile, a team of journalists attached to our “Ask CBC News” ([email protected]The project received more than 41,000 questions from our audience regarding pandemics, and some of their jobs deal with false information. The team has responded directly to more than 2,200 people, and many of the questions asked by users go to broadcast professionals, 40 FAQ articles.. These works are consistently included in the most read articles on our website.

We recently launched the “Students Ask CBC News” initiative. Curio.ca.. Every Tuesday night, CBC News Network creates a live segment dedicated to questions and expert answers from high school students.

And as a member of Trusted News Initiative, CBC / Radio-Canada joined industry collaborations with leading media and technology companies in March to quickly identify and prevent the spread of harmful coronavirus disinformation.

We see this work as an important public service and are committed to it. As long as there is an “infodemic”, CBC News aims to be part of the cure.

Some recent fact checks by the COVID-19 Fake Information Unit:

No, scientists say the new coronavirus was not created in the lab

No, you can’t make an N95 mask from a bra

Video of virus claiming 5G caused pandemic was easily exposed

Mushrooms, oregano oils, masks misleading COVID-19 ads subject to crackdown

No, I wasn’t fined for sharing the car with Yellowknife during the pandemic

Chiropractor told me to delete posts claiming that my method boosts the immune system and prevents COVID-19