Covid-19: how to be careful with trust and expertise on social media
BMJ 2020; 368 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1160 (Published 25 March 2020) Cite this as: BMJ 2020;368:m1160Read our latest coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
- Sue Llewellyn
- London
- Correspondence to: Mun-Keat Looi, mlooi{at}bmj.com
Follow Sue on Twitter: @suellewellyn
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 …