Challenges in combating COVID-19 infodemic - Data, tools, and ethics

Kaize Ding, Kai Shu, Yichuan Li, Amrita Bhattacharjee, Huan Liu

Research output: Contribution to journalConference articlepeer-review

Abstract

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues its global devastation, numerous accompanying challenges emerge. One important challenge we face is to efficiently and effectively use recently gathered data and find computational tools to combat the COVID-19 infodemic, a typical information overloading problem. Novel coronavirus presents many questions without ready answers; its uncertainty and our eagerness in search of solutions offer a fertile environment for infodemic. It is thus necessary to combat the infodemic and make a concerted effort to confront COVID-19 and mitigate its negative impact in all walks of life when saving lives and maintaining normal orders during trying times. In this position paper of combating the COVID-19 infodemic, we illustrate its need by providing real-world examples of rampant conspiracy theories, misinformation, and various types of scams that take advantage of human kindness, fear, and ignorance. We present three key challenges in this fight against the COVID-19 infodemic where researchers and practitioners instinctively want to contribute and help. We demonstrate that these challenges can and will be effectively addressed by collective wisdom, crowd sourcing, and collaborative research.

Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalCEUR Workshop Proceedings
Volume2699
StatePublished - 2020
Event2020 International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management Workshops, CIKMW 2020 - Galway, Ireland
Duration: Oct 19 2020Oct 23 2020

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Computer Science

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Challenges in combating COVID-19 infodemic - Data, tools, and ethics'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this