Recently there has been major controversy surrounding Joe Rogan’s Spotify podcast, particularly after the interview he had with an infectious disease researcher who subtly encouraged conspiracies regarding COVID-19. The New York Times has fact-checkers on hand for controversial topics like this. Linda Qiu wrote an entire article breaking down only a fraction of what Rogan and Dr. Malone discussed. While Qiu quotes both these men, she follows the conversation up with either “False” or “Misleading” and then explains why it is so. This is a helpful tactic for those who struggle with how to perceive information nowadays. It is important to note how genuine this interview appeared to be, as Dr. Malone never directly said that he agreed with these conspiracies, but using his title and medical vocabulary, he appears to know exactly what he is talking about. This is the concern in reading this fact-checking article: if I had heard the interview prior to reading the article, would I have been swayed? Qiu recognizes how “Well versed” even Joe Rogan appears to be when discussing the topics of COVID-19, but quickly dismisses it with information she both explains and cites. The New York Times does well in their fact-checking reporting, but still the distribution of misinformation is spreading as people like Joe Rogan continue to make money off promoting “a litany of falsehoods for over three hours.”
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