By Rashad Christian & Lisa Irambona
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writers
During the COVID-19 pandemic, having access to credible information is incredibly important. But finding trustworthy information online — and especially on social media — can be difficult. It’s especially hard when people don’t know if they can trust the top leaders of government.
In this podcast, we examine what it’s been like to be a media consumer during COVID-19 in an age of misinformation, disinformation and fake news.
Illustrations by Jordan Smith
Many of the baseless claims about COVID-19 have come from President Trump and others in his administration. There were tweets comparing COVID-19 to the seasonal flu, downplaying the importance of wearing masks and falsely asserting that the virus is going away.
Meanwhile, the numbers didn’t lie: COVID-19 spread out of control across the United States beginning in March, continuing through the summer and spiking again in the fall.
On social media, false information spread widely — and not just from politicians. Understanding what separates misinformation from disinformation — and how to fact check COVID-19 claims — is critical.
There’s evidence that Americans are increasingly distrustful of public officials and institutions.
