Welcome to the Voice of America’s News Words. Use of this news word has grown during the time of Covid-19.
Infodemic
Mental health experts are studying a link between dependance on social media as a source of news and a belief in false information related to COVID-19. They say an understanding of the link will help fight an infodemic. An infodemic is a period of growing and fast-spreading information, some true and some false. An infodemic can lead to widespread misunderstanding about a problem and slow efforts to solve it.
原田英語マン
Cambridge dictionaryには次のように定義されています。
★a situation in which a lot of false information is being spread in a way that is harmful
「ウェブ(とりわけソーシャルメディア)上で真偽不明の情報や虚偽の情報(フェイクニュース)が流布し、これを多くの人が真に受けてパニック状態となり、社会の動揺が引き起こされること」がinfodemicの定義です。私たちもフェイクニュースに踊らされないで、しっかりとしたエビデンスをもったニュースソースを見極めなければいけませんね・・・!