The Coronavirus Is the First True Social Media “Infodemic”
Social media has zipped information and misinformation around the world at unprecedented speeds, fueling panic, racism … and hope
By Karen Hao and Tanya Basu
On January 19 — a week before the Lunar New Year — Tommy Tang left Shenzhen with his girlfriend to visit her family in Wuhan for the holiday. They had heard of the novel coronavirus (now officially known as COVID-19), but as far as they knew, it was localized to a small area. The local government had assured people that it would only affect those who visited a specific food market and contracted it directly from wild animals.
But on the night of the 20th, Dr. Zhong Nanshan — the same doctor who first revealed the extent of SARS in 2003 — went on national TV to correct the record. The virus could spread from person to person, he said. Panic ensued. Overnight, everyone in the city began wearing masks. Tang and his girlfriend realized it was no longer safe to stay. They cancelled their plans and left on a train the next day. Less than 48 hours later, the city went into lockdown.
Back in Shenzhen, they placed themselves in a 14-day quarantine, leaving their apartment only once a day, with masks, to take out the trash. Tang, whose…
