Commentary Series on COVID-19
Existing commentaries on COVID-19 have addressed topics such as misinformation, human psychology, social resilience and implications for economy and global relations. Our CTIC researchers have written a series of commentaries focusing on four key areas.
- Carol Soon situates the challenges posed to public communications on COVID-19 in the broader context of an "information avalanche", a problem that is larger than misinformation. The commentary recommends two main strategies (Anticipation and Inoculation, and Information Austerity) for governments, businesses and individuals to combat the information avalanche and the spread of the virus. Read more
- In the face of an increasingly diversified information landscape, professional journalists remain a key source of information and analysis in times of crisis such as COVID-19. Wu Shangyuan highlights the key challenges faced by journalists who face keen competition from online websites and social media which are populating the digital space with information. However, key values such as nation building, making news based on verification and evidence and social responsibility, keep Singapore journalists on track as the country's battle with COVID-19 rages on. Read more
- One of the problems that contribute to the information avalanche is the proliferation of information sources. Information on COVID-19 has been widely published and shared on social media, and digital platforms have been criticised for the spread of an "info-demic". Weiyu Zhang and her colleagues make the case for Good Tech -- Artificial intelligence (AI) Tech, Information Tech and Service Tech. The authors caution that there are bad sides to Good Tech though and what should be done to mitigate them.
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- Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been numerous reports of instant messaging apps being used to circulate false information. Natalie Pang breaks down why WhatsApp -- one of the most popular personal communication platforms used by Singaporeans -- is a hot spot for misinformation. But individuals have also used the same platform for verification and debunking.
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