Fake meme about Omicron variant illustrates report warning about misinformation and recommending ways to fight it

The resurgence of a doctored image blaming the pandemic on a conspiracy illustrates a report warning that misinformation is a major threat to our society and highlights the critical role of the news media.

"In July, a fake slide deck with the logos of the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum purporting to show a schedule for when coronavirus variants would be 'released' rocketed around social media, racking up thousands of likes on Twitter and Instagram," Gerrit De Vynck reports for The Washington Post. Anti-vaccine influencers cited the image as proof that powerful interests were orchestrating the pandemic.

The image has become popular again recently; it and other false or misleading claims about the Omicron variant have circulated widely on social media in the two weeks since the strain was identified. They serve as an illustration of a recent report from the Aspen Institute's Commission on Information Disorder. "Information disorder is a crisis that exacerbates all other crises. When bad information becomes as prevalent, persuasive, and persistent as good information, it creates a chain reaction of harm," write the commission's chairs: veteran journalist Katie Couric; Chris Krebs, the first director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; and Rashad Robinson, president of advocacy group Color of Change.

"If we want to reduce information disorder, there are structural changes that we can and must make to our information ecosystem, and there are rules that we can and must implement to better govern the decisions and behavior of information platforms and propagators," the commission writes. They recommend action in three broad areas:

• Increase platforms' transparency to users and researchers concerning content, ads, moderation policies and more.
• Build users' trust in the accuracy and reliability of information by supporting local journalism outlets, promoting new norms that include personal and professional consequences for those who spread misinformation, increasing workforce diversity at social media and news media companies, and improve election security.
• Reduce harms caused by misinformation. The federal government should create a comprehensive strategic approach to countering misinformation through education, research and investment in local institutions. Platforms must have features aimed at increasing users' awareness of resilience to misinformation. Also, the Communications Decency Act should be amended to withdraw immunity to individuals and platforms responsible for spreading misinformation.