The coronavirus crisis has substantially increased news consumption for mainstream media yet trust in the media and news remains low, especially in the UK. Trust in news and media matters, particularly during a time of crisis. As trust decreases people turn to alternative sources that exploit the weaknesses of traditional media outlets, often peddling conspiracy theories, promoting misinformation and, at worst, spreading false information deliberately intended to mislead. … Read more →
COVID-19
Disinformation kills: The Covid-19 infodemic
The right to access information is incredibly important, now more than ever. Yet amidst a barrage of coronavirus disinformation aimed at sowing further chaos, many governments’ reactions to the pandemic have been to crack down hard on media outlets and journalists who are trying to provide the accurate information and facts that so … Read more →
Shielding Democracy from COVID-19
Across the world, COVID-19 has unleashed a tidal wave of state power. What can we do to ensure that the great pandemic of 2020 is not remembered for an unravelling of democratic values, a disintegration of the rule of law; an irreversible erosion of hard-won rights and freedoms? … Read more →
COVID-19: a crisis that could heighten crime?
COVID-19 has spread at an exponential rate, with over 700,000 confirmed cases across the world. As a result, governments have enacted unprecedented measures in order to limit its spread and increase healthcare to deal with the outbreak. The focus has been on protecting the economy and people’s livelihoods, but the COVID-19 outbreak … Read more →
COVID-19 and the world’s most vulnerable people
The exponential transmission of COVID-19 is compounding the plight of some of the world’s most vulnerable people. While it took three months to reach the first 100,000 cases of the virus, it took only 12 days to double that, and in the words of Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO) “Every day … Read more →