As people increasingly take up social distancing, social media is an appealing way to stay in contact. But, it can also be a source of fake news and bad advice regarding COVID-19.

“When people are fearful, they seek information to reduce uncertainty.”

Here, Jeff Hancock, a professor of communication in Stanford University’s School of Humanities and Sciences and founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab, shares why these deceptive messages are appealing and what people can do to avoid bad advice.

The first tip is to get your info from established news sources, not social media:

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