There is something very dangerous you could be spreading, and it ain’t coronavirus
By: J.P. Lebangood
Tags: Facts, Rumors, Pandemic, Coronavirus

“The tanks are rolling at dawn to take our toilet paper. That has been the aim all along!”

By now, we have all seen at least one of the following:

A text from a trusted friend saying that martial law and quarantine are happening in the morning.

A post by a doctor or nurse saying that the fears of coronavirus are greatly overblown.

By yesterday, I had been forwarded no fewer than three martial law “inside scoops” whose deadlines have since passed. It might just seem like silly games by silly people. But trading in false information about this crisis enable two incredibly dangerous weapons: fear and distrust. And fear and distrust in a pandemic can lead to death.

There has been a war on credibility for a while now. Before, it was mostly aimed at our political campaigns. The results have been harmful. Disinformation in politics is nothing new. If you are bored during the pandemic, read about the election between Adams and Jefferson in 1800. It makes Kanye and Swift look tame.

But as dangerous as misinformation is in politics, it is absolutely deadly in a health crisis. I saw this in the 90s with HIV. Fear mongering led to people not getting tested and those who were positive being kicked out of homes. And that was when the internet was basically confined to AOL chat rooms.

Right now there are internet trolls and perhaps foreign interests that are trying to stir us up. Those martial law rumors? Texts and posts suggesting Texas, Washington and New York states would be under government shut down within 48 to 72 hours have been out for over a week now. It got to the point that the Governor of Massachusetts had to address the issue to his OWN senior staff.

Today, rumor truly travels faster than the news or facts. And like a virus, we are the carriers. And also like a virus we take a few basic precautions.

Step back, breathe, does it make sense? Take the martial law post. It is scary. But in a few minutes you could research the Stafford Act, The National Guard, FEMA, and “shelter in place” from reliable sources. The facts: The Stafford Act was enacted on Friday. It allows for funds and coordination between FEMA and local authorities. The National Guard is under the jurisdiction of the governor. Shelter in place protocols reduces work to essential employees, but allows trips to the grocery, doctor and pharmacy. You can walk or bike for exercise, but maintain a 6 foot distance. This protocol has only been enacted in San Francisco,

Verify. If you hear a rumor at work, ask someone a pay grade above that person about the rumor. In times like this, it isn’t snitching. If you read something online, try to find out where it came from. Is it a version of some other similar rumor? What do the experts say? By experts, I mean organizations and people that have been proven to be trustworthy sources of information during this crisis.

Consider sources. This is the hardest one. In an age where science and the responsible press have been drug under the bus, it is “cool” or “enlightened” to be suspicious. But, what is helpful is to be critical. To triangulate unrelated sources verifying each other. To look for consensus. That doctor or nurse on your feed, who is mad about their 401K, may not be as credible as WHO or the CDC. Remember, rogue or paid scientists and doctors have contributed to the antivaxer and climate denying movement. However in both of those scenarios, the overwhelming consensus of disparate and unrelated experts tell the same story.

Consider the consequences. What will this information do? If people don’t trust that this is an important medical crisis, will they engage in behavior that puts our vulnerable at risk, taking chances with other people’s health? If people panic, will it put a strain on already short supplies? Louisville, KY is officially out of cat litter, cleaning supplies and toilet paper (an overstatement, but not by much — calm down people).

And ask yourself, say you are right. What if tanks are rolling down I 64 tomorrow morning? What can you do at midnight? Break out that anti-tank gun in your garage? Remember, Americans are loud and irritating. The shit show that would break out if we shut down the interstates would far outweigh anything they were trying to achieve. The best defense the American people have against take over is that no one in their right mind would want to be responsible for us. We can’t even get away from the beach in a health crisis.

At this point, you hold the unverified fact. On one hand, it will make people panic. On the other hand, it will mobilize the Facebook Patriot and Doom Prepper Liberty Squad to mobilize their Anti Tank Division at dawn. Which is the greater good? In this case, ask someone at work or online to confirm it or examine it, before you put it on public blast.

So, while you are taking the proper precautions to stop the spread of this virus, and you are bored in front of your computer or phone, make sure you are taking steps to stop the spread of bad and dangerous information. The life of someone you love may depend on it.