ETHAN SHOREY During these times, trusted information so important – Valley Breeze

3/18/2020

First and foremost, we want you to know that were thinking about those of you who are feeling alone or afraid as we go through these trying times. We want to help you in any way possible, so feel free to reach out if theres anything we can do, ethan@valleybreeze.com .

During these days when local businesses are struggling and residents are fearful about a loss of income, my hope is that all of us do what we can to help our neighbors and friends. Give an extra big tip, start a fundraiser, reach out to lonely people (remember social distancing), calm fears. Simple daily actions make the difference.

Part of whats contributing to so many people feeling uneasy is the great amount of misinformation floating around. Many of us have seen at least some of the viral nonsense related to the virus, from cutting up onions to gargling salt.

But theres also more subtle misinformation that gets out there from claimed experts or politicians who have ulterior motives. It can be difficult to know what to believe, but truth isnt a hopeless cause.

This Sunshine Week is a time to highlight the importance of holding officials accountable for the claims they make. As journalists, we rely on openness in government and freedom of information to keep you properly informed and protected from harm, so if that link is not functioning properly, everyone is worse off.

Peter Adams, senior vice president for education for the News Literacy Project, says we should learn from encounters with misinformation. Most people know much of what they see online is bogus, even if shared by someone in authority, but misinformation still thrives. Why? Because it bypasses rational minds by exploiting deep instincts and ideals.

But, according to Adams, we can learn to recognize the patterns, including stories that are too perfect, images and now video that lend themselves to manipulation, headlines that evoke anger or fear, and claims about conspiracies or cover-ups that defy logic. Try adding a variety of fact-checking organizations to social media feeds.

Speaking with NPR recently, Adams told Michel Martin of All Things Considered that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought out a clear picture of the kinds of things that tend to circulate in the misinformation ecosystem, but on a more intensified level and with higher stakes. Everything from miracle cures and alternative medicine recommendations, anti-vaccination propaganda to conspiracy theories, has thrived.

There have also been plenty of opportunists active, he said, people posing as doctors for their own purposes.

Much of the fake news over the past couple of weeks is what one calls a cheap fake or low-tech fake, says Adams, or copied and pasted claims going viral across platforms. For example, think, my sister-in-law works with a man whos married to someone at the CDC

Also, says Adams, beware of emotions. Most misinformation has a strong emotional effect on us, and anger or fear can override rational thoughts and short-circuit our critical thinking.

The top item anyone should look for is the source, he says, and if you cant tell the source, disregard it and go to verified authoritative sources such as health agencies or Johns Hopkins Universitys coronavirus tracker.

One of the best ways we can help our neighbors at this time is to build a better information system by taking an extra minute to verify before sharing.

- Shorey is editor of The Valley Breeze Newspapers

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ETHAN SHOREY During these times, trusted information so important - Valley Breeze