Check First. Share After: “Before you share, pause, check the source, and make sure it’s legit.” 

MediaSmarts, Canada’s not-for-profit centre for digital literacy is launching a new campaign Check First. Share After to remind Canadians to check information about COVID-19 before sharing it. The campaign shares the message that while we might not all be able to help make PPE or develop a treatment for the virus, there is something we can do: help stop the spread of harmful misinformation. The campaign features a video PSA, an educational website CheckThenShare.ca and an extensive social media campaign with Canadian personalities like Dragons’ Den’s Michele Romanow, The Debaters’ Steve Patterson, Chef Matt Basile, Olympian Sarah Wells, John Rush of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Yolanda Gampp of How to Cake It, on board to help promote the message. There is an unprecedented amount of pseudo-science and false info flying around about COVID-19 online, some of which has led to harmful and even deadly actions so the campaign’s main message is: “Before you share, pause, check the source, and make sure it’s legit.”