This week, the Swiss National COVID-19 Science Task Force published a guide on responding to coronavirus conspiracy and denial.
During the second wave, trust in the decisions of the Swiss authorities has dropped below where it was in spring, and the social consensus on how to respond to the pandemic eroded over the summer, said the authors. Conspiracy theories and misinformation have contributed to this trend and reduced the adoption of measures to control the spread of the virus, said the report.
An online survey conducted by Tamedia with 26,145 respondents across Switzerland found that 30% thought the virus came from a lab, 13% that the virus is no more dangerous than the flu, 12% that the virus has always existed, 8% that Bill Gates and the WHO have dramatised the pandemic for their own profit, and 3% that 5G technology was causing it to spread.
According to the report, the appeal of conspiracy theories is fuelled by a need to understand and re-gain some sense of control over an unsettling situation. In particular, these theories offer certainty and a sense of control, something that draws in those that feel politically alienated. Another psychological motive is maintenance of a positive image of the self or the in-group through external validation, especially among groups that feel unfairly treated.
Covid-19 myths underlying conspiracies range from SAR-CoV-2 being no worse than the flu virus, through to wealthy elites using the virus to profit from vaccines, and herd immunity protecting us if we let the virus spread through the population.
However, there is no silver bullet for responding to conspiracy theories and coronavirus denial.
Advice includes trying to immunise people against them by helping them to identify conspiracy theories early on. Most contain 6 key ingredients: a (not so secret) secret plot, a group of conspirators, supporting evidence (often cherry picked or at odds with reliable scientific consensus), a suggestion that nothing happens by accident, a good and bad world framework, and a clear target of blame, according to experts in the field.
Offering tips on how these flawed theories are typically presented is another tool. Information narrowly presented by one or very few individuals is a red flag too. Another tell tale sign is a presentation that focuses excessively on the credentials of the presenter and not enough on well run scientific studies. Tone can be telling too. Information that is not presented in an objective factual tone should raise suspicion. Objective credible scientists often express doubt, rarely offering definitive conclusions. And, trustworthy information usually has links back to reliable sources.
In reality the world is a pretty chaotic place where much happens randomly and unpredictably and where uncertainty and questions abound.
More on this:
Science Task Force report (in English)
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Brahim says
“Another tell tale sign is a presentation that focuses excessively on the credentials of the presenter and not enough on well run scientific studies. Tone can be telling too. Information that is not presented in an objective factual tone should raise suspicion. Objective credible scientists often express doubt, rarely offering definitive conclusions. And, trustworthy information usually has links back to reliable sources.
[^ This also applies to the official messaging].
In reality the world is a pretty chaotic place where much happens randomly and unpredictably and where uncertainty and questions abound.”
Indeed, many questions abound.
Why is there no publicised discussion against lockdown measures in most media platforms or even in parliaments?
Why are proposals to deal with the Covid Crisis in a different, more humane and rational manner, simply ignored?
Why have governments not prepared over the Summer of 2020 to deal with overwhelmed ICUs in hospitals?
Why are the studies that give findings contrary to the main messaging not even mentioned?
Why do people have to be so strongly persuaded to fear a virus that is presumably so deadly?
Why are deaths and ‘cases’ announced in the most alarming way possible?
Why is excess mortality only an occasional side note?
Etc, etc.
To date, many of the ‘conspiracy theories’ about Covid-19 have been proven correct.
“It will only be 15 days.”
Today, conspiracy theorist = critical thinker.
No Gleichschaltung.
No Lockdowns.
No Tyranny.