Reporting Online Misinformation: A Guide

The World Health Organization (WHO) has strengthened its partnership with the UK government to combat the growing wave of COVID-19 misinformation circulating online, officials announced yesterday. This collaboration marks an expanded effort to help the public identify false claims and report misleading content across social media platforms.

Building on their initial “Stop the Spread” campaign launched in May-June 2020, the organizations are now taking a more proactive approach to tackling what health experts have called an “infodemic” – the rapid spread of false information that has accompanied the viral pandemic.

“Misinformation can be just as dangerous as the virus itself when it leads people to ignore public health guidance or pursue unproven treatments,” said a WHO spokesperson. “Our goal is to empower people with the tools to recognize false information and take action against it.”

The original campaign primarily directed people toward trusted information sources, including WHO resources and national health authority websites. The new phase goes further by encouraging active participation from the public in identifying and reporting questionable content they encounter online.

This initiative comes amid growing concern about the real-world impact of COVID-19 misinformation. Studies have shown that false claims about the virus, treatments, and vaccines have contributed to vaccine hesitancy and non-compliance with public health measures in several countries.

Health communication experts point to numerous examples of harmful misinformation that have circulated during the pandemic, including unfounded claims about unproven treatments, conspiracy theories regarding vaccine development, and false assertions about mask effectiveness. Such misinformation has complicated pandemic response efforts worldwide.

To support this work, the WHO continues to maintain its comprehensive “myth busters” resource pages, which directly address common misconceptions about COVID-19 with evidence-based information. These resources cover topics ranging from virus transmission to vaccine safety and are regularly updated as new myths emerge.

The partnership has also produced innovative tools like “Go Viral!” – an interactive game developed by the UK government and the University of Cambridge. The game aims to build public resilience against misinformation by exposing users to common manipulation tactics used by spreaders of false information.

“By understanding how misinformation works, people become better equipped to spot it in real life,” explained a researcher involved with the game’s development. “It’s like a vaccine against false information – giving people a small exposure to help them develop immunity.”

This collaboration represents part of a broader effort in the emerging field of “infodemiology” – the study of information patterns and their influence on public health. The WHO has established dedicated infodemiology resources to advance understanding of how information spreads and affects health behaviors.

Cybersecurity also plays a crucial role in the partnership’s approach. The organizations emphasize that distinguishing between legitimate health communications and potential scams is essential, particularly as bad actors attempt to exploit pandemic-related fears through phishing and other cyber threats.

Public health officials stress that addressing the infodemic requires a multi-faceted approach involving health organizations, governments, social media platforms, and individual citizens. While social media companies have implemented various measures to flag or remove misleading content, the sheer volume of information being shared presents ongoing challenges.

The WHO-UK partnership represents one of the most coordinated international efforts to tackle health misinformation to date. As COVID-19 continues to evolve with new variants and changing public health guidance, officials emphasize that clear, accurate information remains essential for effective pandemic response.

Individuals are encouraged to verify information through multiple credible sources before sharing content and to report potentially false information through the appropriate channels on social media platforms.