How to Quarantine False Information: What the U.S. Government May Do as False Information Spread on Social Media during a Public Health Crisis Becomes a Biosecurity Threat

With the global spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation about the pandemic spread prolifically on social media. False or harmful information about the coronavirus pandemic spread on social media included hate-speech, vaccine misinformation, and misinformation about public health and safety measures. In the midst of a serious public health crisis, where public cooperation for mandated health and safety measures hinges on trust in government and facts, false information rapidly spread through social media becomes a biosecurity threat. This article explores whether false or harmful information can be regulated during a serious public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Journal of Biosecurity, Biosafety & Biodefense Law is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)