Chronology of Rumours and Misinformation During COVID-19

"In times such as these when the country is battling a deadly disease, fake news and misinformation create further problems and add to the miseries of people already fighting the pandemic."

This publication by the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) shares the results of survey that sought to understand the chronology of events that started rumours, fake news, and misinformation about COVID-19 in India. It highlights the conditions that provide a fertile ground for rumours and the role that social media and word of mouth play in giving them unprecedented speed and reach.

A total of 378 respondents were surveyed across 15 states of India (Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Haryana, Jharkhand, Karnataka Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal). Secondary data in the form of news articles were used to substantiate the data emerging from the analysis of the qualitative survey.

The analysis showed that COVID-19-related rumours and misinformation are not only spread on social media platforms but are disseminated via word of mouth and through simple phone calls.

The study found that the most common fake news that people shared throughout the 15 states concerned the rumour that the government was taking back Rs. 500 that was deposited in Jan Dhan bank accounts of women. The spread of this fake news, which started on social media, resulted in incidents such as many women across north Indian states queuing outside banks out of fear that, if the deposited money was not withdrawn in April, they would lose it; one of these women died while waiting in line. This rumour had particular hold due to the fact that many families were facing an economic crisis due to the lockdown situation.

Similarly, the rumour that there was a special train taking migrants to their homes led to an incident in Maharashtra, where thousands of migrants gathered near Bandra station, which likely put even more people at risk of contracting the disease.

Fake medical advice was also found to have been widely circulated on social media, as well as on prominent news channels. Examples included rumours that the virus could be found in vegetables and fruits or that food grains cause the disease. There were also rumours about how to cure COVID-19 infection, such as drinking alcohol to prevent the virus from entering the body, drinking hot water to kill the virus in the throat, holding one's breath for 10 seconds, and eating garlic, basil leaves, and/or ginger to enhance immunity to fight COVID-19.

Such rumours had knock-on effects. For example, viral messages that eating chicken causes COVID-19 not only created apprehensions in the minds of chicken eaters but affected the poultry industry. The price of chicken fell from 180 Rs. per kg to 70-80 Rs. per kg, which in turn impacted the maize and soybean industry, as the poultry industry had been the biggest buyer of these crops. Rumours about goumutra (cow urine) and cow dung being a cure for COVID-19 went viral on social media; this was followed by parties organised by Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, where participants drank urine and even ate mixtures of cow dung, urine, milk, curd, and ghee (Panchgavy) - causing further health issues at a time when the health sector was already battling COVID-19.

The survey found that misinformation about Muslims spreading COVID-19 was common. Responses such as all Mewati Jamatis are COVID-19 positive and that Muslims are spreading the virus (e.g., by spitting on fruits and vegetables or throwing virus-laden money on the roads) led to boycotts of Muslim vendors and their products. These types of rumours can be traced back to a series of events that started with the Tablighi Jamaat congregation in Delhi being declared a hotspot and the government calling the Nizamuddin Markaz mosque a major national COVID-19 source. This claim by the government laid the foundation for accusing Muslims of being spreaders of the virus and calling it a Muslim conspiracy (with hashtags such as #CoronaJihad trending on Twitter). The series of fake videos and misinformation that went viral on social media took the shape of violence in the real world. In Punjab, around 80 Muslims were chased from their village, while in Karnataka, Muslim men were beaten and accused of spreading the virus. In a story in Caravan Magazine, Prateek Sinha, the founder of Alt News, commented that, misinformation is more easily accepted given the polarisation of society. He further said there was no religious undertone to the pandemic until the coverage of the aforementioned Nizamuddin event by mainstream media.

Along with calling the pandemic an Islamic conspiracy, there have been videos and message being circulated that claim COVID-19 is a Chinese conspiracy. The surveyed respondents said they have come across information (e.g., via WhatsApp) that the virus was created in Chinese labs, for example. The impact of calling the pandemic a Chinese conspiracy has resulted in racist and xenophobic attacks on people from north-east India, where some landlords have told people to vacate their flats.

Under these circumstances, DEF recognises the efforts undertaken by factchecking websites that are working to bust myths and rumours and to call out fake news. Agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), Alt News, Boomlive, Indiatoday FactCheck, Vishwas News, and Factly are a few of the agencies that have taken on this responsibility.

In conclusion, in times like these, when people are already under lockdown, rumours (for example, that of the special train taking migrants back to their villages) often come camouflaged as hope, exposing the desperation and helplessness of people. Such desperation speaks volumes about how rumours and fake news play out in times of lockdown caused by pandemics such as COVID-19. But, as DEF stresses, we should not forget that fake news, rumours, and misinformation cause ruptures in the social fabric, and the damage done takes longer to heal; even if healed, the scar remains.