Page - 183 - in VULNERABLE - The Law, Policy and Ethics of COVID-19

CHAPTER B-4 Does Debunking Work? Correcting COVID-19 Misinformation on Social Media* Timothy Caulfield** Abstract A defining characteristic of this pandemic has been the spread of mis- information. The World Health Organization (WHO) famously called the crisis not just a pandemic, but also an “infodemic.” Why and how misinformation spreads and has an impact on behaviours and beliefs is a complex and multidimensional phenomenon. There is an emerg- ing rich academic literature on misinformation, particularly in the context of social media. In this chapter, I focus on two questions: Is debunking an effective strategy? If so, what kind of counter-messag- ing is most effective? While the data remain complex and, at times, contradictory, there is little doubt that efforts to correct misinforma- tion are worthwhile. In fact, fighting the spread of misinformation should be viewed as an important health and science policy priority. * I would like to thank Gordon Pennycook, Kate Starbird, Briony Swire-Thompson, Robyn Hyde-Lay, Sandro Marcon, Darren Wagner, and the rest of our CIHR COVID-19 rapid response team. I am also grateful for the funding support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Alberta Innovates, the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism, the Government of Alberta, and the Government of Canada for their generous support of the following proj- ects: Coronavirus  Outbreak:  Mapping  and  Countering  Misinformation and Critical Thinking  in  the  Digital  Age:  Countering  Coronavirus  Misinformation. ** Canada Research Chair in Health Law and Policy, Professor, Faculty of Law and School of Public Health, Research Director, Health Law Institute, University of Alberta.