Box 4.9: Fighting fake news with transparency and trust-building

needs. Besides the invaluable insights this can bring to decision-making, the process of promoting discussion and dialogue is crucial in itself to bolstering public faith in local and national government. On the other hand, when authorities seek to suppress or silence legitimate concerns and reporting, misinformation and distrust can quickly creep in. At times, local and national governments have justified crackdowns and punitive measures as necessary steps to managing the pandemic effectively. Yet in practice, disproportionate or draconian policies have not only led to unacceptable restrictions on civic freedoms, but also — by alienating citizens and communities — proved counterproductive in terms of containing the virus.

These issues were evident from outset, with Chinese authorities criticized for their lack of transparency and efforts to minimize the threat posed by the virus, including online censorship and detention of whistle blowers for “rumour-mongering”.172 In Bangladesh, authorities arrested dozens of people, including medical staff and opposition activists, for “spreading rumours”173 and in Thailand, some health workers have were been threatened with disciplinary action for speaking publicly about supply shortages.174 In other countries, such as Kenya and Uganda, excessive penalties imposed for infractions of lockdown restrictions have led to rising resentment against authorities, thereby undermining public willingness to comply.175

Moreover, as powers become concentrated and large amounts of money are infused into the economy to alleviate the crisis, the risks of corruption have increased. It is therefore most important that anti-corruption measures are streamlined into all pandemic-related processes. Transparency, oversight and accountability are essential anti-corruption and governance tools: at this moment, those tools are more important than ever to ensure that governments keep public health priorities at the top of their agendas and do not take advantage of, or benefit from, their emergency powers. As the International Monetary Fund has advised, even as public actors “do what it takes” to contain the pandemic, they should “keep the receipts”.180

In many countries, subnational governments are responsible for critical aspects of overburdened health care including emergency services and hospitals in addition to social protection —

Box 4.9: Fighting fake news with transparency and trustbuilding

Community engagement and belief in public health information is a crucial element in any successful pandemic response. This was evident during the outbreak of Ebola in 2014, when a widespread lack of faith in authorities led to the proliferation of conspiracy theories and a disregard for many basic protocols to prevent transmission, significantly contributing to the spread of the disease.168 Consequently, clear and accessible information on COVID-19 can save lives — particularly in a context where false and misleading claims can easily fill the gap in the absence of good messaging.

Many cities have established their own online platforms specifically to provide citizens with a reliable information source, such as São Paulo’s online channel to provide citizens with accurate information on the virus and to debunk fake news.169 In Rome, the website RomaAiutaRoma was launched authorities to serve as a one-stop information source for residents to access updates, news on local initiatives, advice on family wellbeing and other useful content. Similarly, in Nepal the COVID-19 Transparency Portal was set up in selected districts to help local governments maintain transparency and communication with citizens during the pandemic.170 Nongovernmental initiatives have also supported this process. One example, active in Nepal and a number of other countries, is the Coronavirus Civacts Campaign: describing itself as a “myth-debunking and fact-checking campaign to keep communities safe”, it brings together a network of trusted volunteers to counter the circulation of harmful rumours and untruths about the pandemic.171 Many cities have tailored specific campaigns, often in partnership with NGOs or local groups, to reach immigrant communities and other minorities who may otherwise be exposed to greater risks of infection if this information is not available to them