Paw'd Defiance

Welcome to Paw'd Defiance, where we don't lecture but we do educate. This podcast comes to you from the University of Washington Tacoma. Our show is about more than campus. During each episode we'll highlight a different person, program, area of research or educational topic that is relevant not only to the university but also to the Greater Tacoma community and beyond.

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Paw'd Defiance

Misinformation & COVID-19

May 05, 2020 • Director Jevin West from the Center for an Informed Public • Season 1 • Episode 38

The COVID-19 pandemic has created what the World Health Organization calls an "infodemic." Technology has made it possible for information to travel quickly around the world. Combine that with a virus that isn't fully understood and you get a information ecosystem where it can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. In this episode we talk with Dr. Jevin West. West is the Director of the University of Washington's Center for an Informed Public. The center studies misinformation and works to promote an informed society while strengthening democratic discourse. West talks about the role misinformation has played in our current public health crisis. He also discusses conspiracy theories surrounding COVID-19 as well as advice on how to judge whether a source is reliable or not. This episode also features a commercial for the different funds UW Tacoma has created to help students during this crisis.