Friends --

I hope you and your family are doing well and staying safe during this uncertain time.

I just wanted to make sure you saw this important email we sent out yesterday. There’s been an alarming increase in the amount of disinformation out there about COVID-19. And the info isn’t just wrong, it’s dangerous. It’s potentially putting people’s lives at risk. So we’re partnering with Daily Kos and other allies to try to put an end to it.

Will you please take a look at the email below if you haven’t yet and sign the petition so we can fight back against false news and disinformation about COVID-19?

Thank you and stay safe,

Derek Martin
Director, Allied Progress

---------- Forwarded Message ----------
From: Allied Progress
Subject: Friend, help us stop the spread of dangerous disinformation about COVID-19!

Friend --

With our nation in the throes of a full-blown public health crisis, it’s never been more essential that Americans have up-to-date and accurate information about all things and events related to this pandemic. Yet disinformation is being spread about this life or death issue on a daily basis. Will you join Allied Progress, Daily Kos and our fellow participating organizations in calling on ALL media to do more to stop the spread of dangerous COVID-19 disinformation?

False news articles, social media messages, and viral videos are being shared at alarming rates, often to promote certain ideological agendas and conspiracy theories. And Russian media has even been deploying disinformation campaigns online, actively pushing these conspiracy theories in an effort to further worsen the impact of COVID-19 in the West.

Disinformation about COVID-19 has the potential to put lives in danger. There are active disinformation campaigns telling people that the virus can be cured by eating garlic, or worse yet, drinking bleach! And misinformation peddled by gun groups have resulted in a run on gun sales in America -- and have dramatically increased the risk for suicides, domestic violence, and potential accidental shootings. Help us fight back.

If people don’t have accurate, reliable information about the virus, they are less prepared to prevent catching or spreading it or to seek proper treatment.

It’s going to take all of us coming together and pushing back against this kind of disinformation to help stop its spread and curb its impact. That’s why we’ve joined up with our friends at Daily Kos to call on ALL forms of media to ramp up efforts to squash coronavirus disinformation. But they need to hear from you. Will you take a moment to sign the petition?

Thank you so much. And please stay safe.

-- Your friends at Allied Progress