Maldita.es and Twitter join forces to fight coronavirus hoaxes and provide verified information

We have already debunked more than 160 hoaxes , including false methods to prevent infection, inaccurate figures, false cases of infection in Spain… This false information causes panic and alarm among the population.. The best vaccine? Facts, denials, explanations and verified sources that you can find is our Special Coronavirus COVID-19.

#MalditoCoronavirus, the hashtag for your questions

Next Wednesday, March 18, Clara Jiménez Cruz, co-founder of Maldita.es, will be live on Twitter answering questions from citizens using the hashtag #MalditoCoronavirus. We will debunk the hoaxes that you ask us and we will also update the information on protocols and doubts that you may have, in order to ensure that the information is contrasted with health experts.

This live broadcast can be followed from 13:30h on the Twitter account @maldita_es. Don’t forget to send your question with the hashtag #MalditoCoronavirus!

Disinformation is not only on Twitter, where it is also easy to see what goes viral: it moves through audios and groups on WhatsApp, montages, videos with unverified content… The collaboration of the community is still essential for the success of this fight.

‘Ads for good’ to make verified information visible

Twitter has announced partnerships with verification media belonging to the International Fact-checking Network worldwide: the goal is to make verified information reach the widest possible audience. Thanks to this partnership, Maldita.es and Taiwan Fact Checking Center have joined Twitter’s ‘Ads for Good’ program for non-profit organizations. The articles about COVID-19 that Maldita.es produces, with verifications, but also with prevention tips or advice to answer doubts, will now reach more Twitter users thanks to an ad credit that Twitter has granted us as a non-profit media that we are.

We are not the only ones fighting against the disinformation that the epidemic has unleashed: the collaboration between organizations is crucial. Several verification media around the world have mobilized and coordinated to provide citizens with verified information in different languages and countries. You can see the work of verifiers around the world on #CoronavirusFacts.

The role of platforms in the fight against disinformation

Technology platforms are also stepping up to provide reliable information to users during the coronavirus crisis. They have partnered with official bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO). Twitter is pointing people to local authorities when they search for information about the coronavirus and is working with the Secretary of State for Communications and the Ministry of Health to ensure that people find information from authoritative and reliable sources. For example, when a user searches for #coronavirus or other related terms, an alert will appear directing them to the Ministry of Health’s page (@sanidadgob) and to follow the handle @SaludPublicaEs.

Google is also displaying WHO information on the coronavirus at the top of search results. Facebook, for its part, is working with the WHO to reach citizens with prevention recommendations.

Remember, we still need you to go where we can’t: WhatsApp groups, conversations between colleagues, family gatherings, etc. Together, it is harder to be fooled!