From Express
Coronavirus conspiracy: Academic reveals social media spreading harmful COVID-19 fake news
By Tom Fish
Within only days, COVID-19, the disease caused by coronavirus has transformed our daily lives. One issue immediately apparent was how the rapidly-evolving novel coronavirus pandemic in the age of social media made distinguishing reality and rumour ever more difficult.
Marc Faddoul, an associate researcher at the UC Berkeley School of Information, believes social media platforms need to do a lot more to halt the flow of fake news.
He told Express.co.uk: “The main goal for YouTube, Facebook and many other platforms is to make sure alternative information and content is promoted over all the disinformation still available.”
“We want authoritative content recommended above all of the other information. Although they have been doing a decent job with this so far, it doesn't mean people don't access this information by other means.”
Marc Faddoul graduated from the I School's Master of Information Management and Systems (MIMS) program in 2019. He currently works as an associate researcher with Professor Hany Farid.
