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ARTICLE · 20 OCTOBER 2020

When Fake News Causes Real Suffering

FTI Consulting
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The growing influence of social media alongside a shift in how people obtain and consume news has led to the rapid spread of misinformation about the origins of the COVID-19 virus.

GlobalMedia, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment
David Eastwood
David Eastwood
Meloria Meschi
Meloria Meschi
Ravi Kanabar
Ravi Kanabar

The growing influence of social media alongside a shift in how people obtain and consume news has led to the rapid spread of misinformation about the origins of the COVID-19 virus. What impact will this have on public health and the acceptance of a vaccine?

Misinformation is not a new phenomenon - especially when it comes to infectious disease, vaccination and public health. The roots of the anti-vaccination movement can be traced back to the 18th Century, when smallpox inoculations were outlawed after being blamed for a severe outbreak of the disease in Paris.1 Thankfully, vaccination techniques have since improved, and the public health case for widespread vaccination has become stronger, better understood and more widely accepted.

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