Letter: Covid misinformation should not be dismissed

Jemima Kelly is wrong to dismiss misinformation regarding Covid as a “spat” concerning “critical views”. (“Spotify spat shows why Rogan and his podcast matter”, Notebook, February 3). A consistent pattern of misinformation during a pandemic is, as others have noted, a “public health menace”. As the FT’s own editorial (FT View, February 4) stated, “the role of a plain-speaking outsider is contrived nonsense”.

Nevertheless, the traditional answer for bad information is more information, not cancellation. As a separate matter, her passing apologia for “conspiracy theories” (ie, some conspiracies are true like some paranoids have enemies) demonstrates a willingness to embrace a post-truth approach to Covid mitigation.

Brandon Becker
New York, NY, US

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