Scientists call for a fight against false information during the pandemic

With cat photos and sometimes scathing irony, Mathieu Rebeaud, a Swiss-based researcher in biochemistry, has nearly tripled his Twitter following since the coronavirus pandemic began.

With 14,000 followers, he posts almost daily, giving explanations on the latest scientific research and, in particular, aims to fight misinformation that spreads as fast as the virus itself.

He is among a growing number of doctors, academics and institutions who in recent weeks have amplified their scientific messaging in hopes of countering what has been termed an “infodemic” — a deluge of information, including widespread false claims, which experts say can pose a serious threat to public health.

To cut through the noise, it is imperative to work quickly and maximise social media engagement to get simple prevention messages across to the public, according to researchers and specialists.

“In the case of the COVID-19 pandemic, conspiracy theories provide complete, simple, seemingly rationalistic and watertight explanations,” said Kinga Polynczuk-Alenius, a researcher from University of Helsinki.

“This is in stark contrast to the available scientific knowledge — complex, fragmented, changeable and contested — and to the actions of political decision-makers and state authorities, which appear haphazard and self-contradictory.”

In February, British medical journal The Lancet warned that “the rapid dissemination of trustworthy information” was mostly needed during a period of uncertainty.

This includes transparent identification of cases, data sharing and unhampered communication, as well as peer-reviewed research. But rigorous and time-heavy scientific studies and publications compete with the immediacy of social media.

“How do we communicate in this context of radical uncertainty?” asked Mikael Chambru, a scientific communication specialist at France’s University of Grenoble Alpes.

Jean-Gabriel Ganascia, chairman of the ethics committee at France’s National Center for Scientific Research, said the scientific community must fight against false information.

“We don’t have a choice.”