Weaponising Covid-19: How state suppression breeds distrust and disinformation in Hong Kong

Amidst global uncertainty and instability, conspiracy theories , misinformation, and disinformation have become wildly common during the pandemic. While some people believe that Covid-19 is a hoax , others believe in unproven ࢀœmiracle cures.ࢀ When false claims and theories about the pandemic circulate and gain traction on social media, they can endanger public health, jeopardising public efforts to control the virus. The popularity of unchecked conspiracy theories rises when people find their government untrustworthy . Photo: UN. Distrust of the government is compounded when oppressive state regimes weaponise public health policies to stifle dissent. Hence, rather than placing most of…