Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Here's how you can stop bad information from going viral

Coronavirus misinformation is flooding the internet and experts are calling on the public to practise "information hygiene". What can you do to stop the spread of bad information?

1. Stop and think

You want to help family and friends and keep them in the loop. So when you receive fresh advice - whether by email, WhatsApp, Facebook or Twitter - you might quickly forward it on to them.

But experts say the number one thing you can do to halt misinformation is to simply stop and think.

If you have any doubts, pause, and check it out further.


2. Check your source

Before you forward it on, ask some basic questions about where the information comes from.

It's a big red flag if the source is "a friend of a friend" or "my aunt's colleague's neighbour".

We recently tracked how a misleading post from someone's "uncle with a master's degree" went viral.

Some of the details in the post were accurate - some versions, for example, encouraged hand washing to slow the spread of the virus. But other details were potentially harmful, making unproven claims about how to diagnose the illness.

"The most reliable sources of information remain public health bodies like the NHS, the World Health Organisation, or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA." says Claire Milne, deputy editor of UK-based fact-checking organisation Full Fact.

Experts are not infallible. But they are much more reliable than a stranger's distant relative on WhatsApp.


3. Could it be a fake?


Appearances can be deceptive.

It is possible to impersonate official accounts and authorities, including BBC News and the government. Screenshots can also be changed to make it look like information has come from a trusted public body.

Check known and verified accounts and websites. If you can't easily find the information, it might be a hoax. And if a post, video or a link looks fishy - it probably is.

Capital letters and mismatched fonts are something fact-checkers use as an indicator a post might be misleading, according to Claire Milne from Full Fact.


4. Unsure whether it's true? Don't share


Don't forward things on "just in case" they might be true. You might be doing more harm than good.

Often we post things into places where we know there are experts - like doctors or medical professionals. That might be OK, but make sure you're very clear about your doubts. And beware - that photo or text you share might later be stripped of its context.


5. Check each fact, individually


There's a voice note that has been circulating on WhatsApp. The person speaking in the note says she's translating advice from a "colleague who has a friend" working at a hospital. It's been sent to the BBC by dozens of people around the world.

But it's a mix of accurate and inaccurate advice.

When you get sent long lists of advice, it's easy to believe everything in them just because you know for certain that one of the tips (say, about hand washing) is true.

But that's not always the case.


6. Beware emotional posts


It's the stuff that gets us fearful, angry, anxious, or joyful that tends to really go viral.

"Fear is one of the biggest drivers that allows misinformation to thrive," says Claire Wardle of First Draft, an organisation that helps journalists tackle online misinformation.

Urgent calls for action are designed to ramp up anxiety - so be careful.

"People want to help their loved ones stay safe, so when they see 'Tips for preventing the virus!' or 'Take this health supplement!' people want to do whatever they can to help," she says.


7. Think about biases


Are you sharing something because you know it's true - or just because you agree with it?

Carl Miller, research director of the Centre for the Analysis of Social Media at think tank Demos, says we're more likely to share posts that reinforce our existing beliefs.

"It's when we're angrily nodding our head that we're most vulnerable," he says. "That's when, above everything else, we just need to slow down everything that we do online."

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
×