Things are pretty serious right now. There is a global pandemic going on, most of the world is sheltering in place and medical workers are fighting a highly contagious virus without enough protective equipment to keep them safe. With COVID-19 reports consuming the news, there is a ton of information floating around, and half the time it’s hard to tell the facts from the fiction. I’m here to tell you about how you, as an influencer, can avoid pumping the rumor mill.
You’ve probably seen at least one graph or video illustrating how fast COVID-19 spreads. Without practicing good hygiene and social distancing, it can be easy for one person to infect dozens without even knowing it. The same goes for news – when you’re an influencer with thousands of followers, sharing one piece of unverified news can end up affecting a lot of people.
The bottom line is, it’s really easy to post misinformation and even easier for it to spread. You’re an influencer, which means people feel super comfortable sharing information you post …whether it’s true or not. And with tons of rumors floating around about COVID-19, there is a lot out there that isn’t true.
Let’s use a hypothetical example. Say you have 100,000 followers on your socials. A really amazing COVID-19 infographic catches your eye, and it looks wonderful and helpful, so you post it. Now let’s assume that this great infographic contains incorrect information, but you don’t know it. The next thing you know, 10 percent of your followers have turned around and shared it to their socials. Even if they each only have 150 followers, that means that a whopping 1,500,000 people are now exposed to false facts.
See why sharing verified information is so important?
So What is Safe to Share?
Does the threat of false information mean that you shouldn’t share any news about COVID-19? No! As an influencer, a big part of your job is to be on top of important trends and COVID-19 definitely qualifies. The trick is to be aware of what you’re sharing, where it came from and if it’s true and verified.
Fact Check Before You Post
The first rule of thumb when it comes to sharing on social media? Double check every piece of information you’re interested in sharing. This is a serious, life-threatening illness, and you don’t want to run the risk of doing more harm than good. What are the best sources of real, true, verified information? Check out the WHO and CDC websites. In doubt? Don’t share.
Stay Informed With Trusted Resources
The second thing to remember is that you shouldn’t go into this blind. If you plan to share COVID-19 information, start by reading up on basic regulations for staying safe and healthy during the quarantine. The WHO and CDC have great, easily downloadable images and graphics you can share on your socials.
Don't Hype the Hype
Third, don’t buy into the hype. Maybe you’ve heard that eating alkaline foods or staying away from ibuprofen can help fight COVID-19. Maybe you read that dolphins and elephants are reclaiming parts of the world they’d previously abandoned. That sounds like great news, right? Too bad none of it is true. These claims are all part of a massive cycle of misinformation being blasted across social media.
Sharing “good news” stories is definitely a great thing to do, but make sure it is, in fact, news. If something sounds too outrageous or too good to be true, it just might be, so carefully consider each item before you share it. There are tons of great myth-busting sites out there (we’re even busting myths on the FanCentro blog!) so take the time to double check your details before you hit share.
As an influencer, the most important thing to remember is that you have a lot of eyes on you, and with great power comes great responsibility. Using your platform to help others is an amazing thing to do, but be sure you’re only sharing information that is verified, valid and valuable!
Brooke Powell is the Community Manager at FanCentro, a premium social media network for influencers, models and adult stars.