When displaying the confirmed cases of the day, a logarithmic y-axis was used instead of a regular axis. 

Can lead to an impression of fewer confirmed cases. 


Covid 19 Misinformation Visualization: Case of Manipulated Axis


Data is visualized without telling the viewer about how the data is collected or what constitutes the numbers. 

Can be used to favor personal opinions, such as wishing to extend social distancing. 


Covid 19 Misinformation Visualization: Case of No Context


Charts comparing the recovery rate of COVID-19 with that of SARS and MERS can represent data partially by omitting crucial information, such as the spread and incubation time of the different viruses. This partial data visualization can cause people to underestimate the seriousness of the COVID-19 virus.

Example of Partial Data in COVID-19 Misinformation Visualization

Visualization of Covid 19 misinformation can occur commonly when:

data is represented partially 

Scale of the graph is manipulated

When the data is taken out of context 


New York University

While accurate data visualization is helpful, inaccurate or misleading visualizations of data related to Covid 19 can lead to people having misconceptions regarding the virus. 

Covid 19 Misinformation Visualization

Doan, S. (2021). Misrepresenting COVID-19: Lying With Charts During the Second Golden Age of Data Design. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 35(1), 73–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/1050651920958392

Misrepresenting COVID-19: Lying With Charts During the Second Golden Age of Data Design

Types of Covid 19 Misinformation Visualization


Not all types of Covid 19 misinformation possess the same amount of support. Those misinformation that are related to health and medicine tend to have lesser support than other conspiracies and misinformation overall.  


Covid 19 Misinformation Support

Partisan Conspiracies

Non-partisan conspiracies 

Health misinformation

Disinfectant as cure or prevention

Types of Covid 19 Misinformation 


Believing in misinformation about the pandemic can correlate with people's actions and beliefs in other aspects of their lives

Covid 19 Misinformation Correlation

Whenever an individual shares misinformation, their anxiety level increases. 


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