Coronavirus and social media: Be careful what you click

CRANSTON, R.I. (WJAR) — Amid coronavirus concerns across the globe, a social media attorney from Rhode Island is advising the public to be extra mindful of news they consume -- and share -- on Facebook, Twitter, and other digital platforms.

The World Health Organization reports that there are many types of the disease, which was first identified in Wuhan, China, also noting that it causes mild upper-respiratory tract illnesses. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

Read before you share on social media

Brian Lamoureux, a partner at Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara, LLC, in Johnston, said data shows that users don’t always read the articles they post. This, he said, is true of stories about the coronavirus, or COVID-19.

“The amount of sharing of articles and news information that is not read by the sharer is really high,” Lamoureux, who also teaches business law at Providence College, along with a course he designed about digital and social media, said during an interview with NBC 10 News.

“People aren’t reading the article, thoughtfully digesting it, sharing it and saying, ‘Here’s my comment,’” he said. “What they’re doing is, they’re reading the headline or the first paragraph, and then they are sharing it with their input.”

Mobile devices and the evolution of news

That’s why, he said, it’s best for consumers to avoid reading news about the coronavirus, along with other major concerns, on mobile devices.

Lamoureux acknowledged that the news industry has changed through the years, with more people reading content on cell phones or tablets. He said the articles are often short due to a lack of attention span from users.

But he said it restricts the amount of information people are absorbing, also noting that some social media sites have character limits, causing many sites to share abbreviated information in a single post.

“It’s really not the websites themselves that are the problem,” he said. “The bigger problem is that we are on our mobile devices so much and what that means is the landscape or the real estate available to impart important, in-depth information is three inches by four inches. People aren’t reading long-form websites.”

Lamoureux went on to say that readers are usually distracted when scrolling through social media, often performing other tasks simultaneously.

He said that practice potentially leads to confusion, as data indicates that users retain and understand more information if they consume longer form articles in comfortable settings on a laptop or desktop.

“That allows me to read things without getting fatigued as much as I am on mobile,” Lamoureux said. “Chances are, I’m not doing something else at the same time, like standing in line somewhere, so I’m processing it.”

Fear mongering

Lamoureux said he also observed an alarming trend on social media in connection to the coronavirus, as some advertisers are trying to profit off anxiety associated with the illness.

He said it’s disturbing that some companies have been harping on fear to earn money, but also praised Facebook for banning ads that promote a cure or prey upon a sense of urgency for masks or other products.

“I give them tremendous credit for losing the revenue by actively policing and saying, ‘We’re not going to market these scare tactics,’” Lamoureux said.

Teenagers and children

While questionable ads pose risks for adults, there’s even more concern for teenagers and children to be cautious.

In fact, Lamoureux said they need to be extra skeptical.

“I worry that there’s a presumption between the youth and teens is that if it’s online, it’s true,” he said. “I feel for teens who are looking headlines, looking at Snap stories, and looking at Instagram stories and getting a really skewed view of what is scary, but maybe not necessarily something that they fully understand, and that is going to give them even more anxiety.”

Where and what to click

Aside from legitimate news sources, Lamoureux said he relies on governmental agencies such as the Centers for Disease and Control, as well as the Rhode Island Department of Health, for information.

Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, who is the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, held a press conference on Thursday, updating reporters on preparedness efforts related to coronavirus are underway.

"Although the general level of risk for Rhode Islanders is still low and there have been no confirmed cases in our state, everyone can contribute to our preparedness work by taking simple, everyday steps to limit the spread of viruses,” she said. “Those steps include washing your hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when you are sick."

She also said symptoms include, fever, cough and shortness of breath.

"If you know that you have traveled to countries that are having increasing cases of coronavirus and you return, try to be cognizant of what your symptoms may be and stay local and be able to communicate with a health care provider," she said.