Among The Lies

Scientists around the globe are currently working to uncover the mystery of COVID-19 and finding vaccines to end the pandemic that took at least 9,94 million people’s lives around the world. At the same time, when conditions have not yet improved, we are facing an infodemic of misinformation, where rumors and fake news spread faster than the virus itself.

Misinformation about coronavirus brings serious consequences. It can make people feel safe by holding onto false beliefs about what can protect or cure them.  

The infodemic phenomenon is another challenge for the world, especially in Indonesia where the number of reported positive cases has reached 36,406 and the mortality cases reached 2,048 cases by as of June 2020. 

According to the Indonesia Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (KOMINFO), the government has confirmed that more than 500 incidents of hoaxes and disinformation related to COVID-19, which have spread through the internet users in Indonesia. This negative situation is exacerbated by low digital literacy and critical thinking skills among the citizens, hence myths about coronavirus in Indonesia can easily go viral.

Through “Among the Lies” I explore the repeating myths and misinformation in my community that may lead people to understand how they have become widely accepted. The more often we hear a myth, the more likely we are to believe it. Myths offer illusion and false hope. The narrative within cyberspace is cleverly designed to bypass the analytical reasoning and easily slip under the radar for everyone. Therefore, this is an attempt to question what makes us blind to this cognitive bias and is an invitation to us to realize that myth is as dangerous as the virus itself. (2020)