Conspiracy theories are stories made up by people that are not true, that explain an event or set of circumstances as the result of a secret plot by usually powerful conspirators. These theories assert that a secret of great importance is being kept from the public. Such theories can make us feel confused, sad, and not sure what is the right thing to do.
An example of a conspiracy theory story that has been created is that there is a microchip in the vaccine that will be implanted into you to track your movement.
How to spot fake news?
People who write fake news will sometimes:
- not put their names on the news
- make it hard to find their name on the news
- say news is secret
- say news is from the government when it is not
- say the government is hiding news from us.
It is important we only share news if we know it is true.
Good places to find news about COVID-19:
- Unite against COVID-19 website
- The Ministry of Health Website (MOH)
- On TV 1 each day at 1.00 pm the Government gives an update about COVID-19
- Deaf Aotearoa and the DHBs
It is important to know that the MOH follows international guidelines and ask experts for advice.