Information, Disinformation and Misinformation Covid19

[YelvertonDevon]

Another excellent post from Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris New Zealand

thespinoff.co.nz/society/08...

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

I'm disappointed at the lack of replies to your post, because the post you referenced is indeed excellent. It also explains why our community admins and volunteers endeavour to ensure that information posted in this community is evidence based.

Neil

[YelvertonDevon in reply to AussieNeil]

Thanks Neil. As I’ve probably mentioned before the WHO is using some of the information on keeping safe that was used in NZ written by Siouxsie and Illustrated by Toby.

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator in reply to YelvertonDevon]

I hope you don't mind me adding into your post the key image from the excellent animation of how misinformation spreads like a pandemic virus. Siouxsie Wiles and Toby Morris have provided this animation so that even those who have difficulty reading their blog can understand their message.

Thanks,

Neil

[YelvertonDevon in reply to AussieNeil]

Not at all Neil!

[PaulaS Volunteer]

Thanks for this, Yelverton Devon. Very wise words... well worth reading. (And thanks AussieNeil for drawing my attention to it).

Paula

[LeoPa]

The problem is lack of critical thinking these days. Misinformation was spread in the beginning by no one other than the WHO boss Ghebreyesus himself, alongside chancellor Merkel and the Norwegian government, not to mention the president of the US and prime minister of the UK. All these said face coverings and masks are not useful. No wonder many people got confused and don't believe authorities anymore. Anybody with some critical thinking new from the beginning they were wrong. I certainly did and I am far from being a biologist not to mention infectious disease specialist. I just could not believe my ears as to what their position was on this. I just learned 35% of people in my country oppose wearing masks now. This number was 11% in April. Victims of our own success we have only 38 deaths so far among 5.5mil people, therefore people are getting negligent and think nothing can happen to them. This isn't going to end well for many.

[Big_Dee]

Hello YelvertonDevon

This was a very timely article on information, misinformation and disinformation. We are bombarded every day with bad information largely due to the reporter or writer condensed version of events. The bad information is not just CV-19, but also we see it in CLL “cures”. Trust your doctors, at the least you will not overdose like you may if you self-medicate.

The masks are a good example. All masks will give some degree of personal protection or public protection depending on type. My wife does pre- triage at hospital entrance. The other day I went to hospital for blood workup. The lady who was doing pre- triage said I could not wear a cloth mask into hospital; it had to be paper mask, so I complied with provided mask. When I told my wife about it, she said “that was not right because she and many others wore cloth masks in hospital”. When my wife talked to supervisor over pre-triage, instructions were misunderstood by lady doing that days pre-triage.

The remarks attributed to President Trump about injecting bleach into arm to “cure” CV-19 were a classic example of disinformation. All one has to do is read the April 23, 2020 presidential briefing transcript to see that President never said anything about injecting bleach, Lysol or Clorox in arm. The only one at briefing who quizzed President Trump about injection of bleach into arm was Jim Acosta of CNN news. Reply from President Trump was “no”. Briefing included remarks about future advances in medical treatment.

[YelvertonDevon in reply to Big_Dee]

That was certainly a very “interesting” suggestion from POTUS youtu.be/HKCe8Pq_RUA(Not working as expected?)

[Big_Dee in reply to YelvertonDevon]

Hello YelvertonDevon

I was unable to access youtube video which locked up on me, so not sure what was felt as President Trump's interesting suggestion. I could send you complete April 23, 2020 presidential briefing transcript, however rather than take my word for it you can connect with a copy of transcript with your browser so you will know the transcript is authentic and make your own conclusions.

[YelvertonDevon]

The YouTube video was of the Presidents 23 April press briefing as shown around the world.

[Big_Dee in reply to YelvertonDevon]

Hello YelvertonDevon

I did not need to see the video, I saw the actual briefing live on TV. In any case I would trust a You Tube video even less than Face Book.

[YelvertonDevon in reply to Big_Dee]

Which is the whole point of my article! Check your sources whether you are on Facebook, Twitter or youtube. The YouTube video is from EuroNews a French based pay TV company.

[Big_Dee in reply to YelvertonDevon]

Hello YelvertonDevon

Exactly my point, the published briefing transcripts are published by the White House for use of world wide news organizations. I prefer the actual transcript of briefing rather than someone's abbreviated interpretation of them.