March 25, 2020
As the coronavirus spreads, Americans have to flatten the misinformation curve too
Overnight, Americans have become all too familiar with the call to "flatten the curve" by taking precautionary measures to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19). Fulfilling individual responsibilities in this unprecedented crisis, however, requires more than social distancing and physical isolation.
Digital interactions on social media platforms are increasing, as people's physical interactions are primarily restricted. With so many users seeking and sharing information online, the spread of misinformation about the pandemic can overwhelm social platforms, impede the government's response, and enable bad actors online. Every American must therefore do their part to flatten the misinformation curve.
Anyone can be a carrier of harmful misinformation. Because of this risk, members of the public must devote increased diligence to ensure that the information they share on social media and elsewhere is authentic and contextualized. This responsibility goes beyond merely improved "digital literacy." All Americans must embrace an attitude of "digital citizenship," treating online communications with the same level of scrutiny as in-person interactions.
Read the full article in Business Insider.
More from CNAS
-
CNAS Insights
Technology & National Security
CNAS Insights | Sovereign AI’s Second Wave Is Coming Into ViewEarlier this year, CNAS launched the Sovereign AI Index to track every government-backed sovereign AI project since 2023. These projects seek to improve a country’s AI self-re...
By Pablo Chavez, Vivek Chilukuri & Ruby Scanlon
-
Video
Technology & National Security
Is AI All Hype or the Real Deal?Anthony Vinci, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, joins Eyes on Geopolitics to break down the rapidly evolving AI landscape, from China’s grow...
By Anthony Vinci
-
Video
Technology & National Security
Russia Technology Expert Says Ukraine's Drone War Erased the Front Line: Sam BendettSam Bendett, an adviser with CNA's Russia Studies Program, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, and a Senior Associate with the CSIS Europe, Rus...
By Samuel Bendett
-
Congressional Testimony
Technology & National Security
The Economic Cost of Russia’s War in UkraineSamuel Bendett, an adjunct senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security, joins BBC Audio's World Business Report to discuss how the Russia-Ukraine War has transform...
By Samuel Bendett
