“信息疫情”不容忽视 全球数百人因新冠错误信息死亡

除了肆虐全球的新冠病毒，与病毒错误信息相关的“信息疫情”同样不容忽视。最新研究发现，今年前三个月，全球至少有800人因为这些错误信息而死亡。

A healthcare worker hands a test kit to a motorist at a drive-in coronavirus (COVID-19) testing center at M.T.O. Shahmaghsoudi School of Islamic Sufism on August 11, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. [Photo/Agencies]

At least 800 people died around the world because of coronavirus-related misinformation in the first three months of this year, researchers say.

研究人员称，今年前三个月，全球至少有800人因与新冠病毒相关的错误信息而死亡。

A study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene says about 5,800 people were admitted to hospital as a result of false information on social media.

发表在《美国热带医学与卫生杂志》上的一项研究称，约5800人因社交媒体上的虚假信息而入院。

Many died from drinking methanol or alcohol-based cleaning products.

许多人因饮用甲醇或含酒精的清洁产品死亡。

They wrongly believed the products to be a cure for the virus.

他们错误地认为这些产品可以治愈新冠肺炎。

The World Health Organization (WHO) has previously said that the "infodemic" surrounding Covid-19 spread just as quickly as the virus itself, with conspiracy theories, rumours and cultural stigma all contributing to deaths and injuries.

世界卫生组织此前曾表示，围绕新冠病毒的“信息疫情”与病毒本身传播速度一样快，阴谋论、谣言和污名化都导致了死亡和伤害。

stigma [ˈstɪɡmə]：n.耻辱；污名

A man wearing a face mask walks down a street in Rome, Italy, August 4, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]

虚假信息使人丧命

Many of the victims had followed advice resembling credible medical information - such as eating large amounts of garlic or ingesting large quantities of vitamins - as a way of preventing infection, the study's authors say. Others drank substances such as cow urine.

该研究的作者说，许多受害者遵循了类似可靠医疗信息的建议来预防感染：比如吃大量大蒜或摄入大量维生素。另一些人则饮用牛尿或摄入其他物质。

These actions all had "potentially serious implications" on their health, the researchers say.

研究人员说，这些行为都对他们的健康有“潜在的严重影响”。

The paper concludes that it is the responsibility of international agencies, governments and social media platforms to fight back against this "infodemic", but tech companies have been criticised for their slow and patchy response. In the UK, laws to regulate online harm might be several years away.

这篇论文得出结论称，国际机构、政府和社交媒体平台有责任反击这种“信息疫情”，但科技公司一直因反应迟缓和不尽如人意而受到批评。在英国，监管网络伤害的法律可能还需要几年的时间才能确立。

patchy [ˈpætʃi]：adj.不很可靠的，不很令人满意的

The BBC's own investigations found links to assaults, arson and deaths as a result of misinformation about the virus, and spoke to doctors, experts and victims about their experiences.

英国广播公司开展的调查发现，新冠病毒的错误信息会导致袭击、纵火和死亡。医生、专家和受害者还向英国广播公司讲述了他们的经历。

Online rumours led to mob attacks in India and mass poisonings in Iran. Telecommunications engineers have been threatened and attacked and phone masts have been set alight in the UK and other countries because of conspiracy theories that have been incubated and amplified online.

网络谣言导致了印度的暴徒袭击和伊朗的大规模中毒事件。在英国和其他一些国家，由于阴谋论在网上酝酿和扩散，电信工程师受到威胁和攻击，通信基站被点燃。

Social media also helps scammers to take advantage of the pandemic, selling ineffective badges that claim to ward off the virus, and urging followers to part with money in exchange for a "mineral miracle supplement", which is - in reality - diluted bleach.

社交媒体还帮助骗子利用疫情，销售声称可以抵御病毒的无效徽章，并敦促粉丝购买“矿物质奇迹补充剂”，实际上，这是稀释的漂白剂。

Shoppers walk past social distancing signs at the Covent Garden shopping and dining district, amid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, Aug 2, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]

新冠病毒疫苗面临阴谋论威胁

As vaccines emerge, there is the further threat that anti-vaccine campaigners will use the platform provided by social media to persuade people not to protect themselves.

随着疫苗的出现，反疫苗活动人士将利用社交媒体平台来说服人们不要注射，这是进一步的威胁。

Despite social media companies removing or labelling misleading information about vaccines, recent polling in the United States showed that 28% of Americans believe that Bill Gates wants to use vaccines to implant microchips in people.

尽管社交媒体公司删除或标注了有关疫苗的误导性信息，但美国最近的民意调查显示，28%的美国人相信比尔•盖茨希望用疫苗将微芯片植入人体。

The achievement of an effective coronavirus vaccine could be completely undermined by misinformation, doctors told the BBC's anti-disinformation team.

医生们告诉英国广播公司的反虚假信息小组，一种有效的新冠病毒疫苗的研制成果可能会被虚假信息完全破坏。