Sudbury researchers aim to quash pandemic of misinformation

Information about the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be changing on an almost daily basis and researchers in Sudbury are working to help the public sift through those details.

Laurentian University and Science North held anonline panel to talk about COVID misinformation today, with an aim to highlight the research being done into the virus.

Chantal Barriault,director of the science communication master's degree program at Laurentian,says people should use logic and be critical of where they're getting information online.

"Misinformation is erroneous, but it's not necessarily put out there maliciously. Whereas disinformation exists as well, where there's not-so-honest actors out there who are pushing disinformation."

After about 10 months of living with daily warnings and speculation,getting access to accurate information can sometimes feel like a challenge. But doing some homework may help, Barriault says, such as contacting someone in the field to clarify.

Barriault says taking that extra step can be difficult when false information is shared on social media.

"Things like that sometimes do fall on, perhaps, people who are a little bit more vulnerable at the time to look for answers and to make sense of what's happening. If something seems like it's could be possible, it seems familiar, familiarity seems true."

Watch Barriault speaking with other researchersin theonline panel.