Covid-19: how to be careful with trust and expertise on social media

Three times in one day I received the same warning from different groups of friends, through various channels. It came through email, Facebook, and WhatsApp, and I also saw it circulating widely on Twitter. I replied thanking them, saying that I knew they wanted to help (we all do) but that, actually, the warning wasn’t true and could even be dangerous. I felt almost unkind by pointing out that holding your breath wasn’t a test for covid-19. And that drinking lots of water wouldn’t help it go away.

These viral warnings always start the same way. A doctor/nurse/specialist health or government worker—often, apparently, a friend or relative—shares a warning or advice of some kind. This often sounds credible and sometimes may even have a kernel of truth, but it almost always provokes some emotional response in the reader. Fear and outrage are the most contagious.

The desire to protect loved ones means that …