---
id: "coronavirus-smarter-crowdsourcing:recommendations/evidence-and-misinformation"
type: "GovLab policy recommendation"
title: "Evidence and misinformation"
url: "https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/recommendations/evidence-and-misinformation"
summary: "Combat misinformation through evidence-based, clear, and consistent messaging."
source: "The GovLab (coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org)"
licence: "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)"
---

# Evidence and misinformation

Combat misinformation through evidence-based, clear, and consistent messaging.

- Part of: [Smarter Crowdsourcing in the Age of Coronavirus](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/), [all recommendations](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/recommendations)

## Strategy 1

Governments should keep messaging consistent and explain changes when they are made.

- Timeframe: 1-3 Months (immediate)
- Type: Communications
- Strategy page: https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/governments-should-keep-messaging-consistent-and-e

### Actions governments should take (strategy 1)

1. Review guidance at predictable and publicized intervals. If guidance needs to change, communicate why it needs to change.
2. Prioritize communications from trusted leaders at a consistent time and in a consistent format.
3. [Use credible sources and use them consistently (see strategy on evidence and credibility)](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DzmSxBT6rqoewafUMNmdEHmjYREZ0bLnqr4JCIP1ZgE/edit#heading=h.g2kgkwezebr7)
4. Be transparent and communicate openly about the frequency of when guidance is reviewed. This will prime the population that guidance may change based on the changing circumstances.
5. Acknowledge that the message has been updated if the public health guidance changes.
6. Designate a spokesperson to establish credibility, convey confidence and maintain consistency.

### Examples from around the world (strategy 1)

1. [In Ireland the prime minister appointed a communications expert to coordinate public messaging. The government also delivered a booklet with basic information on COVID-19 to every household thus ensuring everyone received the same consistent and reliable information on symptoms and instructions on how to self-isolate. The Irish Health Minister, serves as a consistent and reliable spokesperson, briefing the public every night at 7pm on relevant COVID-19 information and answers questions via facebook.](https://theconversation.com/clear-consistent-health-messaging-critical-to-stemming-epidemics-and-limiting-coronavirus-deaths-134529)

## Strategy 2

Governments and policy makers should make sure the messages they are promoting are scientifically accurate and informed by evidence and base all messaging on credible levels of evidence and review levels of evidence. The public is more likely to trust messages coming from credible sources

- Timeframe: 1-3 Months (immediate)
- Type: Data, Communications
- Strategy page: https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/governments-and-policy-makers-should-make

### Actions governments should take (strategy 2)

1. Identify trusted sources such as public health authorities, clinicians, scientists or international sources (e.g. World Health Organization - WHO).
2. Ensure messaging cites/acknowledges this credible source so the public is aware of where the information is coming from.
3. Build credibility of specific sources by citing them consistently and correctly.
4. Avoid politicizing evidence and scientific facts

### Examples from around the world (strategy 2)

1. [Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel uses science and clear evidence-based explanations of disease modelling when she discusses the pandemic and pathways toward recovery.](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/16/angela-merkel-draws-on-science-background-in-covid-19-explainer-lockdown-exit)

## Strategy 3

Governments should track rumors and misinformation campaigns to ensure that communities are not acting on incorrect public health guidance.

- Timeframe: 1-3 Months (immediate)
- Audience: Academia
- Type: Data, Communications
- Strategy page: https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/governments-should-track-rumors-and-misinformation

### Actions governments should take (strategy 3)

1. [Create crowdsourced initiatives to spot and debunk misinformation and promote advertised channels where citizens can report misinformation or false information. This can be through a mobile app, hotline, SMS or WhatsAPP, or a website.](https://www.pnas.org/content/116/7/2521)
2. Conduct targeted outreach to specific communities or community leaders to understand rumors that may be proliferating in their communities.
3. [Create a rumor management and tracking tool.](https://covid19communicationnetwork.org/covid19resource/creating-a-real-time-rumor-management-system-technical-brief/)
4. Engage groups providing similar services to [Public Editor](https://www.publiceditor.io/) or [Politifact](https://www.politifact.com/) to help flag false information in the news, online, and coming from politicians.
5. [Promote evidenced-based sources, like Ask a Scientist, where people can seek independently verified and scientific information when they have questions about specific rumors.](https://covid19.fas.org/)
6. [Work with tech companies to flag false information on social media platforms, including twitter flags.](https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/11/tech/twitter-flags-donald-trump-tweet-coronavirus/index.html)
7. [Don’t “fan the flames” by elevating misinformation as you address it.](https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/CovidTestingTracing_Handbook.pdf)
8. [Engage influencers, TV stations, radio stations or other trusted sources to advertise which rumors have been disproven.](https://www.thebodypro.com/article/covid-19-pandemic-turns-doctors-into-social-media-influencers)
9. [Track messages responding to rumors through the use of a engagement tool such as bit.ly](https://bit.ly/)
10. [Ensure officials are transparent and accountable to the public to increase credibility of official messaging](https://www.cdc.gov/eis/field-epi-manual/chapters/Communicating-Investigation.html)

### Examples from around the world (strategy 3)

1. The UK government partnered with the WHO to create the “ [Stop the spread](https://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/countering-misinformation-about-covid-19)” campaign which aims to raise awareness about misinformation. The campaign is being featured on BBC World News and BBC.com and the UK government is providing partner governments with a toolkit of the campaign assets for use in their countries. The UK government also set up [a rapid response](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-52086284) team to crackdown on fake and misleading information circulating online on COVID-19 and has a [don’t feed the beast](https://sharechecklist.gov.uk/) campaign which provides 5 steps on how to identify fake news.