Infodemic Management: Promoting healthy behaviors in the time of COVID-19 and mitigating the harm from misinformation and disinformation

At a time when the COVID-19 global pandemic curve is shifting daily and the science of the disease evolving hourly, people naturally seek more information, the fresher the better. However, when people who aim to share vital health information inadvertently share false and misleading messages, the misinformation acquires credibility and velocity. Separately, disinformation, which is misinformation spread with an agenda, is also polarizing the online and offline debate on topics related to COVID-19.

It is proposed that a side session be held at the UN General Assembly to bring together UN Member States, relevant UN agencies, specialist media, civil society organizations and leading experts from the fields of misinformation, risk communication, behavioural science and infodemiology to:
1. Launch an unprecedented UN Collaboration through a high-level joint press statement (UN Secretary-General, WHO Director-General, UN Agencies and partners) on infodemic management
2. Review key lessons learned in infodemic management since the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic by UN partners, including country experience.

On 23 September 2020, this side-event will discuss infodemic management in the time of COVID-19. The event is scheduled for 08:00 EST | 14:00 CET | 19:00 ICT.

https://ungaguide.com/event/infodemic-management-promoting-healthy-behaviors-in-the-time-of-covid-19-and-mitigating-the-harm-from-misinformation-and-disinformation/