Swine flu (mis)Information

Posted on April 29, 2009
Filed Under news |

The world has shrunk because of easy access to global travel where within a few hours a diseased person can reach another corner of the world and cause worldwide pandemic. Governmental organizations, politicians and the media are unable to cope in an era of decentralized information citizenship. There are dozens of sites cropping up where bloggers discuss the course of the Swine flu. Microblogs such as Twitter are providing rapid information on what is happening, where and in many cases this is causing undue fear that could further hurt our economy. Some sites are urging people not to eat meat, not to travel, and possibly the closure of borders, including the quarantine of persons arriving from Mexico. This type of (mis)information can create widespread panic, make people cancel travel plans or not eat at restaurants. The travel industry or the food industry or other industries could fall victim to this scare.

On the flip side, there are sites that try to calm fears and provide real valuable information on the flu such as how to recognize it or minimize its risk. Let’s not contribute to the worldwide panic, let’s understand the risks and make our own informed decisions!

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