Messaging service WhatsApp is taking steps to tackle fake news. The app has launched a feature that helps users to fact-check viral messages, aiming to bring more transparency to the stories that get shared and to dispel dangerous conspiracy theories.

In the middle of a pandemic, Americans are scrambling to keep abreast of the headlines – and stay sane while doing so. How can people stay informed while maintaining their mental health? And what else, besides objective information, can the media offer to those stuck at home?

Posts from extremist groups and a rise in anti-Semitic online messages have seen the German government exert pressure on social media sites to remove offensive content. In turbulent times, people crave safe online communities and are looking to institutions for increased regulation.

From stockpiling toilet paper to dropping £100 on a plain t-shirt, hype can get people doing all sorts of seemingly strange things. Canvas8 spoke to Gemma Milne, author ofSmoke & Mirrors, to learn more about this psychological phenomenon and the role it can play in a public health crisis.