Legit COVID-19 info gets lost on Facebook
Illinois Public Media
As local news dries up in many parts of Illinois, local governments have turned to Facebook to disseminate information. But a new study found the limits of that approach during the COVID-19 pandemic. Legitimate health information was occasionally downplayed by Facebook, met with misinformation in comments, and resulted in threats against health officials.
GUEST
Nikki Usher, Ph.D.
Professor of Journalism, College of Media at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Author: News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism
Click here to listen to Nikki's interview about her book, News for the Rich, White, and Blue: How Place and Power Distort American Journalism
Must-read from @nikkiusher for anyone interested in the future of local news (or any news).
— Louise Kiernan (@louisekiernan) May 12, 2022
Among the findings: some public health officials actually avoided disseminating info in local outlets because of mistrust of media in their communities. https://t.co/AQUGWJOA2H