How to Fight Coronavirus Misinformation

The World Health Organization recently declared that the world isn鈥檛 just fighting a pandemic, but also an as people search for trustworthy information to help protect themselves and their loved ones against the coronavirus.

But the truth is losing out, as proliferate about alleged cures and preventive measures. Much of the U.S. media system thrives on divisiveness, with TV and radio stations exploiting controversies for profit and failing to perform the essential media function of holding the powerful accountable.

Not least among this dereliction of duty is the uncritical broadcast of President Trump鈥檚 racist rhetoric and false information in his daily coronavirus news briefings. Comments by Trump and his surrogates are likely exacerbating anti-Asian sentiment and arguably fueling . His remarks are and promoted by 鈥溾€� on Fox News and talk-radio personalities who the dangers of the virus.

Coronavirus and infect the entire media ecosystem, and then spread across the internet, with conspiracy theorists, white supremacists, and fraudsters exploiting fear and chaos to drive their agendas, recruit for their horrific causes, and .

The confusion and distrust sewn by that disinformation has led to people and to the death of an Arizona man the president recommend the drug on TV.

We can have a media system that prioritizes accurate news, trustworthy information, and community interests.

We can have a media system that prioritizes accurate news, trustworthy information, and community interests. But first we must grapple with how our for-profit system makes hate and disinformation profitable, and we must invest in noncommercial alternatives.

The corporate U.S. media system incentivizes fear, hate, and disinformation on broadcast stations, cable-news networks, and online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

On TV networks and radio stations, disinformation, and hate drive up ratings and advertising revenue.

Meanwhile, most online platforms make money by showing ads to users and by users鈥� engagement with those sites. These platforms benefit from the same salacious content that prompts people to click, comment, and interact with posts. Guess which kind of content typically drives engagement? You鈥檝e got it: , and .

When media companies amplify COVID-19 disinformation and hate, they don鈥檛 just contribute to the infodemic. They also create so much noise that they undermine the kind of journalism that鈥檚 designed to keep us informed.

To make matters worse, the financial crisis has at a time when we need journalists most. Creative solutions to protect journalists through this crisis and build a better foundation for the future, like a and a to support nonprofit journalism, must be explored if the Fourth Estate is to survive.

Some media outlets are rejecting Trump鈥檚 disinformation. A Seattle public-radio station has to air Trump news conferences live because his deceptive statements 鈥渃annot be fact checked in real-time.鈥� Employees at major cable-news networks are to do the same.

This crisis has laid bare how the economic incentives shaping our media system threaten the health and safety of all in the face of this deadly virus.

Networks that televise these lies without critiquing them are endangering the public. That鈥檚 the argument Free Press made when we filed an emergency petition asking the Federal Communications Commission to issue guidance on whether broadcasters鈥� intentional airing of misinformation the agency鈥檚 broadcast-hoax rule. The Trump-controlled FCC issued a swift and snarky , which means that it will do nothing about the false claims about COVID-19 circulating on the public airwaves.

Social media also has much to answer for. Online platforms鈥� historically lax content moderation has opened the door for hoaxers, white supremacists and right-wing extremists to seeking truthful information.

Though they鈥檙e behind the curve, some platforms may be changing their approach.

In March, Twitter banned disinformation about COVID-19, and has since removed misleading posts from and Fox News host . Will it finally heed the from the civil rights organizations that make up the Change the Terms coalition and ban the white supremacists who have turned into ? Will it commit to ridding its platform of racist hate, even as its tolerance of such bigotry may have helped lay the groundwork for the rise of anti-Asian hate crimes?

Facebook has instituted a host of in response to COVID-19, and even some violent racists鈥� pages in March. But how will it enforce these policies when its moderators must work from home and out of the facilities where this work is done?

YouTube, meanwhile, has on COVID-19-related disinformation and racism. And its existing policy against hate is poorly enforced鈥攍eaving users unprotected.

This crisis has laid bare how the economic incentives shaping our media system鈥攚hich are deadly for people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ people and religious minorities in 鈥渙rdinary鈥� times鈥攖hreaten the health and safety of all in the face of this deadly virus.

Companies must take responsibility for the disinformation and hate they air and host. That鈥檚 why an alliance of nonprofit groups, such as , has worked with internet companies to help ensure they don鈥檛 spread misinformation and hate about the coronavirus. The choices these companies make about what and who to amplify will define their legacies.

People deserve better than profit-driven responses to crises. We need to overhaul our media system and invest in trustworthy journalism. If this tragedy proves anything, it鈥檚 that the corporate media鈥檚 addiction to controversy and hate-for-profit will lead us to ruin and death again and again.

	Jessica J. Gonz谩lez is co-CEO at Free Press and Free Press Action, and the co-founder of the Change the Terms coalition. Connect:
	Gaurav Laroia is a senior policy counsel at Free Press. Connect: