The Impact of Fake News on Social Media in Times of Crisis on Society

International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VII, Issue VII, July 2020 | ISSN 2321–2705

The Impact of Fake News on Social Media in Times of Crisis on Society

Abdulkarim Omar Madkhali
 Islamic University of Madinah, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract- Because of the lockdowns and stay at home orders, people are staying home and have more free time. They are on top of the trending topics on social media. The current trending topics normally reflect the interest of the public, which currently are about COVID-19 or topics linked to the pandemic because of how important this issue has become for the society. There are thousands of people infected with this virus, and there is no cure or vaccine for it. The media is trying to cover as much relevant content as possible because people need to be aware of the correct guidelines to prevent the quick widespread of COVID-19. Social media is a platform that enables people to share current research, information, and opinions of healthcare experts, governments, and people around the world. Social media helps global society stay connected and learn more about this disease. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the Fake News on Social Media in Times of Crisis on Society. The methodology used to conduct this research is basic research to identify the perception of people living on this pandemic. Focusing on analytical research to explain the causes and consequences of the spread of misinformation of COVID-19. This research is based on secondary data, which means that it has been collected from other sources. By using qualitative methods. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the Fake News on Social Media in Times of Crisis on Society. The methodology used to conduct this research is basic research to identify the perception of people living on this pandemic. Focusing on analytical research to explain the causes and consequences of the spread of misinformation of COVID-19. This research is based on secondary data, which means that it has been collected from other sources. By using qualitative methods, the emphasis is on the words and meaning of the information. The results of the analysis showed that people need to know how to identify sources that they can trust, such as official government sites or healthcare sites. If people find news in social media, it is recommendable to cross-reference the sources to confirm reliability. Also, look for another similar source that corroborates the information found. Making sure that only the right information is out is could help control this pandemic and avoid people getting harmed by misinformation on the web.

Keywords: Fake News; NGOs; Social Media; Times of Crisis

I. INTRODUCTION

Some rumors are surrounding the use of Social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is the spread of false information around the world. People are already very terrified and want to be safe from this new virus, and if someone uses social media for the wrong purpose, this will simply cause chaos and make the quarantine even longer. People are depending and trusting that social media will inform accurate news.

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