Disinformation came from the hand of COVID-19 to homes, according to an expert

The pandemic of COVID-19 has demonstrated the breadth and impact of disinformation in society, explains Sebastian Dieguez, a researcher in neuroscience at the University of Friborg (Switzerland), and co-author of the book in French “Le complotisme”.

What is your balance of these two years of massive misinformation?

“For the first time we are faced with the shortcomings of the strictly informational model. It is something that we already knew with the climate: it is not enough to provide data or disseminate science to convince or even help to understand what is happening.

With COVID-19 it has become obvious. At first no one knew what was happening, science was built progressively, between uncertainty and doubts.

At the same time, people were creating their own knowledge systems, sometimes from the misinformation of the networks or rumors, sometimes from pure inventions, schemes that people build on what the disease is.

Disinformation is not just an obstacle, it is manufactured day by day, it is fast and opportunistic and it is now evident that it comes from ideology rather than credulity. It is something dynamic, active, people dedicate time to it.

It is a very important point that should guide scientists, authorities, journalists: they are not simple nonsense but real projects of a political nature.

Of course, false information must be corrected but it must be understood that there is a part of consumers of disinformation who approve it not because it is false, but precisely because of it, because it is denied by the authorities, rejected ”.

What then is the social impact?

“Those who consume it exert an influence on the real world. They can influence decision-making, the authorities will try not to anger them, so that there are no reactions, demonstrations …

Disinformation has an impact due to pressure from a very minority but very noisy fringe.

People are also forced to choose their field: the concept of misinformation and conspiracy has penetrated families, tears up friendships, social groups. It is necessary to repair the disasters that misinformation has caused.

Are we better armed to fight it?

“Unfortunately not. But perhaps we can already draw a first lesson: if we want science to triumph, we must not forget the human sciences.

You have to understand how this misinformation works, how it circulates. And do it together with the epidemiologists, the climatologists, who are unable to impose their message.

Disinformation abuses all new means of communication, social networks. But they are things that can be disputed. There is also ‘fact-checking’, journalism in general. And the legislation, which must be adapted ”.