Rolling Stone published an article on Long Covid and kids - this is needed.
The article, however, is an object lesson in how false framing and deliberate omission operate to mislead the public, even when at long last reporting on a critical public health emergency.
👇
The article, however, is an object lesson in how false framing and deliberate omission operate to mislead the public, even when at long last reporting on a critical public health emergency.
👇
A few examples and an explanation of why this type of reporting contributes to harm even as it’s ostensibly informing ppl.
E1: wholly omitting the complicity of the Biden admin, who funneled Covid research funds to cops, declared pandemic over, kicked millions off Medicaid.
E1: wholly omitting the complicity of the Biden admin, who funneled Covid research funds to cops, declared pandemic over, kicked millions off Medicaid.
E2: fueling the misunderstanding that 💉 protects ppl adequately from Long Covid. I’ve seen no evidence of this (it provides some protection, but by no means adequate, as tens of millions of 💉ed ppl now have LC.)
They offer no citation for this claim re 20x more likely.
They offer no citation for this claim re 20x more likely.
E3: implies that 2/3 of americans with long Covid have recovered.
This journalistic sleight-of-hand is extremely common, framing things as if the norm is for a majority people to eventually recover and the exception is for them not to, when evidence shows the opposite.
This journalistic sleight-of-hand is extremely common, framing things as if the norm is for a majority people to eventually recover and the exception is for them not to, when evidence shows the opposite.
E4: framing this statement about testing during the acute infection as if RATs have a reliable accuracy rate (and that PCRs or at least RATs are accessible to anyone who wants them.)
RATs have at least a 40% inaccuracy rate. In addition PH did not inform us how to test properly.
RATs have at least a 40% inaccuracy rate. In addition PH did not inform us how to test properly.
These are just a few examples, but they reveal a pattern of editorial and journalistic malpractice/ineptitude that is pervasive when it comes to reporting on Long Covid.
This article does not challenge the most common misunderstandings about what this 🦠 does to bodies.
This article does not challenge the most common misunderstandings about what this 🦠 does to bodies.
Its framing of how we got here is absurd, neglecting to even mention the Biden admin who normalized mass ongoing unmitigated transmission & infection, eugenics and the social murder of the most vulnerable, and in the process moved the Overton window far and hard to the right.
There’s a lot more analysis to be done but the last thing I’m gonna say in this 🧵 is that I’m not blaming ppl for celebrating that a mainstream outlet published an article about Long Covid & kids.
But it’s crucial that we read critically, and point out false framing & misinfo.
But it’s crucial that we read critically, and point out false framing & misinfo.
If we accept reporting like this uncritically, we effectively participate in the ongoing decimation of journalistic standards & normalize the idea that we can expect no better so we better be grateful for these crumbs. We let misinfo slide. We normalize lethal misunderstanding.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
