# Challenges in Combating COVID-19 Infodemic -- Data, Tools, and Ethics

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2005.13691 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.13691/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 27 May 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [Findings of the NLP4IF-2021 Shared Tasks on Fighting the COVID-19 Infodemic and Censorship Detection](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2109.12986/) (2021)
- [The use of Data Augmentation as a technique for improving neural network accuracy in detecting fake news about COVID-19](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2205.00452/) (2022)
- [QCRI's COVID-19 Disinformation Detector: A System to Fight the COVID-19 Infodemic in Social Media](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2204.03506/) (2022)
- [Eating Garlic Prevents COVID-19 Infection: Detecting Misinformation on the Arabic Content of Twitter](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2101.05626/) (2021)

## Abstract (arXiv)

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 three challenges can and will be effectively addressed by collective wisdom, crowdsourcing, and collaborative research.