As part of a study published in Misinformation Review, Quebec researchers (McGill University) asked themselves: to what extent does false information on Covid-19 circulate on social media and in traditional media? Are these fake news contributing to a misperception of the epidemic? Does this influence the behavior of users of Twitter and other Facebook?
By going through 620,000 twitter accounts, the authors reveal that for many users, social media is becoming the main source of information, often with fake news.
Another observation is the differences in behavior between those who obtain information in a “traditional” way and those who favor social networks. The latter are less inclined to respect barrier gestures and to perceive the Covid-19 as a threat.
–
