Today's trust tip: Tell your audience you won't tolerate misinformation
Hi there. Lynn here.
We all know how much information is out there right now because a lot of you are working around the clock to produce it.
COVID-19 is a breaking news story that has continued and will continue for weeks and months. But just as you are working to produce credible stories that can help save lives, there are other people sharing links that are totally false or contain misinformation.
You may think, what does the misinformation have to do with me and my journalism? What should you do about it?
Well, you could ignore it (though at Trusting News we don't recommend that and explain why here). But what if the misinformation is being shared in a Facebook group you manage, underneath a link you posted on social media or on comments on your news story?
We hope you agree with us when we say that deleting and correcting misinformation is important — especially now, when facts could literally save lives and misinformation could help COVID-19 spread throughout communities.
It's so important these days to moderate your conversation spaces. Do not be afraid to delete links to stories that include false information. Do not hesitate to delete images that are altered. Do not feel bad about preventing someone from posting in a group if they continually share misinformation. (As a comment moderator, try thinking of yourself as the host of a party. You wouldn't let someone come into your party and yell inflammatory lies, right?)
One thing we can all do is tell our audience that we will not tolerate or help spread misinformation. That is what the Coloradoan did in a Facebook group they manage. They told their group members they will be removing information that is speculative regarding COVID-19, explained why and invited input. "We want folks to have confirmed, reliable information. If you have a news tip or are hearing something you'd like to share, send us a private message."
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