Fighting fake news: a new online library resource at U of T tackles COVID-19 misinformation

Daily updates regarding COVID-19 have become the norm, but the pace of the information being released, coupled with the wide variety of available sources, have some experts worried about the spread of medical misinformation and disinformation.

U of T librarian Vincci Lui decided to take action against this spread by creating a toolkit for readers, which includes resources such as the Google Fact Check explorer and the WHO’s health alerts. Her work is part of a larger online guide for university researchers, students and staff who are engaged in coronavirus-related work.

“There’s a combination of misinformation – problematic news reporting and misinterpretation of journal articles and scientific studies – along with just outright fake news, information that’s taken as fact and spread, but is just something that someone made up,” says Lui.

The resource Lui created is called "How can I spot misinformation about the coronavirus and COVID-19?" and it contains step-by-step instructions for verifying that a story is rooted in fact and evidence-based research.

Source: U of T News