---
id: "coronavirus-smarter-crowdsourcing:strategies/Governments-and-policy-makers-should-make"
type: "GovLab policy strategy"
title: "Governments and policy makers should make sure the messages they are promoting are scientifically accurate…"
url: "https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/strategies/governments-and-policy-makers-should-make"
summary: "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"
source: "The GovLab (coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org)"
licence: "Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)"
---

# Governments and policy makers should make sure the messages they are promoting are scientifically accurate…

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
- Recommendation: [Evidence and misinformation](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/recommendations/evidence-and-misinformation)
- Part of: [Smarter Crowdsourcing in the Age of Coronavirus](https://coronavirus.smartercrowdsourcing.org/)

## Actions governments should take

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

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)