Journalism 133: Prof. Craig: Coronavirus Fake News

Coronavirus Fake News

As with any major news story, there is all kinds of misinformation ('fake news") about Coronavirus (COVID-19) floating around online.  In many cases, it's an exaggeration of something true -- declaring something to be factual when it's just a theory, overstating a benign fact or misunderstanding elements of a true story.  In other cases, it's something created to deceive, or taking unfounded speculation as truth.  Here are a few examples from your assignment.  

  1. The disease originated from people in China who were eating bats.
  2. The disease was created in a lab in China.
  3. California is preparing to enact martial law over COVID-19 violations.
  4. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is preparing to mobilize the National Guard in response to COVID-19.
  5. COVID-19 is spreading quickly from gas pumps.
  6. Existing products cure COVID-19, including bleach, colloidal silver, vitamin C, hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
  7. Four out of five people with COVID-19 will never show any symptoms. 
  8. COVID-19 is God's vengeance against a sinful world.   

 



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