How right-leaning media coverage of COVID-19 facilitated the spread of misinformation in the early stages of the pandemic in the U.S.

We have yet to know the ultimate global impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. However, we do know that delays, denials and misinformation about COVID-19 have exacerbated its spread and slowed pandemic response, particularly in the U.S. (e.g., Abutaleb et al., 2020). While the role that misinformation played in slowing the federal government’s response to COVID-19 is well-understood, less is known about why Americans might accept misinformation about the virus and how misinformation might affect trust in public health experts.

Authors

• Matt Motta
• Dominik Stecula
• Christina Farhart