Wikipedia:WikiProject COVID-19/Translation Task Force/Misinformation related to the 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic (short)
The 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic has resulted in [conspiracy theories and misinformation regarding its origin, scale, and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19.[1][2][3] False information has been spread through social media,[2][4] text messages,[5] and mass media,[6] including the state media of countries such as China,[7][8] Russia,[9][10] Iran,[11] and Turkmenistan.[2][12] It has been propagated by celebrities, politicians[13][14] (including heads of states in countries such as the United States,[15][16] Iran,[17] and Brazil[18]), and other prominent public figures.[19] Commercial scams have claimed to offer at-home tests, supposed preventives, and "miracle" cures.[20][21] Other actors have claimed the virus is a bio-weapon with a patented vaccine, a population control scheme, or the result of a spy operation.[3][4][22] The World Health Organization has declared an "infodemic" of incorrect information about the virus, which poses risks to global health.[2]
There are conspiracy theories that COVID-19 is a bioweapon originated from China, Israel or the US. Scientists have refuted this claim.[23] Some believe that the coronavirus outbreak is timed to coincide with the start of the US President Donald Trump's impeachment trial.[23] Conspiracy theory that 5G caused or helped the spread of coronavirus is being circulated in social media.[23] Chinese Red Bull and fortune cookies were named as virus carriers in some viral posts on social media.[23]
Fake medicines and prevention methods were claimed to cure COVID-19. Drinking warm water, eating mango, durian, lemon, garlic, ginger, bitter-gourd, neem leaves and turmeric were named as remedies for COVID-19.[24][25] Fake medical equipment including test kits and vaccines were seized by governmental authorities in Europe.[26] Fake news that people belonging to certain ethnicities or religion and those eating vegetarian diet are immune to COVID-19 is also circulating in social media.[27]
References
[edit]- ^ "China coronavirus: Misinformation spreads online about origin and scale". BBC News. January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Kassam N (March 25, 2020). "Disinformation and coronavirus". The Interpreter. Lowy Institute.
- ^ a b "Here's A Running List Of Disinformation Spreading About The Coronavirus". Buzzfeed News. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved February 8, 2020.
- ^ a b McDonald J (January 24, 2020). "Social Media Posts Spread Bogus Coronavirus Conspiracy Theory". Factcheck.org. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- ^ Hannah Murphy, Mark Di Stefano & Katrina Manson (March 20, 2020). "Huge text message campaigns spread coronavirus fake news". Financial Times.
- ^ Thomas E (April 14, 2020). "As the Coronavirus Spreads, Conspiracy Theories Are Going Viral Too". Foreign Policy.
- ^ Kuo, Lily (March 13, 2020). "'American coronavirus': China pushes propaganda casting doubt on virus origin". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Raphael Satter; Robin Emmott; Jack Stubbs (April 25, 2020). "China pressured EU to drop COVID disinformation criticism: sources". Reuters.
- ^ "Coronavirus: Russia pushing fake news about US using outbreak to 'wage economic war' on China, officials say". Agence France-Presse. February 23, 2020. Archived from the original on February 23, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020 – via South China Morning Post.
- ^ Galeotti, Mark (April 10, 2020). "Coronavirus Propaganda a Problem for the Kremlin, Not a Ploy". The Moscow Times.
- ^ Frantzman S (March 8, 2020). "Iran's regime pushes antisemitic conspiracies about coronavirus". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on March 10, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
- ^ Putz C. "Did Turkmenistan Really Ban the Word 'Coronavirus'?". thediplomat.com. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
- ^ "Boris Johnson's government has considered the possibility that the coronavirus may have accidentally leaked from a Chinese lab". Business Insider. April 6, 2020.
- ^ "Trump, aides flirt with China lab coronavirus conspiracy theory". Al Jazeera. April 17, 2020.
- ^ Thielking, Megan (February 26, 2020). "Experts warn Trump's misinformation about coronavirus is dangerous". STAT. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
- ^ "Iran's Khamanei refuses US help to fight coronavirus, citing conspiracy theory". France 24. March 22, 2020.
- ^ Friedman U (March 27, 2020). "Bolsonaro Leads the Coronavirus-Denial Movement". The Atlantic. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
- ^ Waterson J (April 8, 2020). "Influencers among 'key distributors' of coronavirus misinformation". The Guardian.
- ^ Knight V (March 31, 2020). "Covid-19: beware online tests and cures, experts say". The Guardian. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ Ferré-Sadurní L, McKinley J. "Alex Jones Is Told to Stop Selling Sham Anti-Coronavirus Toothpaste". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 14, 2020. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- ^ Ghaffary S, Heilweil R (January 31, 2020). "How tech companies are scrambling to deal with coronavirus hoaxes". Vox. Archived from the original on February 8, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Taylor, Josh (31 January 2020). "Bat soup, dodgy cures and 'diseasology': the spread of coronavirus misinformation". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ WHO/SEARO, Jasvinder Singh from. "Fact or fictions about Novel Corona Virus". www.who.int. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ "Myth busters". www.who.int. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ "Europol eradicates criminal gangs flogging fake coronavirus medicine, surgical masks | ZDNet". web.archive.org. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.
- ^ "Vegetarian food, Indian immunity won't prevent Covid-19, says Anand Krishnan". The Indian Express. 15 March 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2020.