Fake images of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in the communication of information at the beginning of the first Covid-19 pandemic // Imágenes falsas del coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 en la comunicación de la información al comienzo de la pandemia del Covid-19

Andreu-Sánchez, Celia and Martín-Pascual, Miguel-Ángel Fake images of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in the communication of information at the beginning of the first Covid-19 pandemic // Imágenes falsas del coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 en la comunicación de la información al comienzo de la pandemia del Covid-19. Profesional de la información, 2020, vol. 29, n. 3. [Journal article (Unpaginated)]

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English abstract

The first real images of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, were obtained between January 24 and March 5, 2020 using various electron microscopy techniques. However, since March 2020, it has been most common to see drawn, designed, or interpreted images in three dimensions, sometimes even representing different or directly invented viruses. This analysis studies a sample of images supposedly of SARS-CoV-2 that appeared at the beginning of this pandemic on the internet. Fake images or imaginary illustrations of the Covid-19 coronavirus predominate in all sources of information examined, except for those documented in encyclopedias or scientific articles. Rather than real images, the media have used more fake images of the coronavirus, often from repositories or paid stocks, usually freely available. When presenting SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus content, the use of fake, unrealistic, esthetically retouched illustrations is more common than actual or scientific photographs of the virus. The reference image used in the media and other information sources of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 is a retouched three-dimensional, color design image for illustration rather than an actual image. The original, real images of the coronavirus did not have the expected informative presence in an emergency situation. The use of unrealistic images of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus seems to be a manifestation of a low-intensity infodemic. However, information professionals must use rigorous images to support their information, also in the case of the Covid-19.

Spanish abstract

Las primeras imágenes reales del SARS-CoV-2, el coronavirus causante del Covid-19, se obtuvieron entre el 24 de enero y el 5 de marzo de 2020 con diversas técnicas de microscopía electrónica. Sin embargo fue habitual desde marzo de 2020 ver imágenes dibujadas, diseñadas o interpretadas en 3 dimensiones, a veces incluso representando otros virus o directamente inventados. En este análisis se estudia una muestra de imágenes supuestamente del SARS-CoV-2 aparecidas al inicio de esta pandemia en internet. Las imágenes falsas o las ilustraciones imaginarias del Covid-19 predominan en todas las fuentes de información examinadas, excepto las documentadas en enciclopedias o artículos científicos. Los medios de comunicación utilizan más imágenes falsas del coronavirus, a menudo de repositorios o stocks de pago, que verdaderas, habitualmente de libre acceso. Cuando se presentan contenidos sobre el coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, es más común el uso de las ilustraciones falsas irreales, retocadas estéticamente, que de fotografías reales o científicas del virus. La imagen de referencia en los medios de comunicación y otras fuentes de información del coronavirus es una imagen de diseño retocada para ilustración, a color y en 3 dimensiones y no una imagen real. Las imágenes originales, reales, del coronavirus no tuvieron la presencia informativa esperada en una situación de emergencia. El uso de imágenes no realistas del coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 parece una manifestación de infodemia de baja intensidad.

Item type: Journal article (Unpaginated)
Keywords: Covid-19; SARS-CoV-2; Coronavirus; Disinformation; Infodemic; Pandemics; Fake images; Scientific information; Scientific documentation; Information sources; Databases; Repositories; Scientific photography; Covid-19; SARS-CoV-2; Coronavirus; Pandemias; Desinformación; Infodemias; Imágenes falsas; Información científica; Documentación científica; Fuentes de información; Repositorios; Bases de datos; Fotografía científica
Subjects: B. Information use and sociology of information > BJ. Communication
Depositing user: Tomàs Baiget
Date deposited: 10 Jul 2020 11:47
Last modified: 10 Jul 2020 11:47
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10760/40130

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