Brazilian newspapers fueled pandemic disinformation with misleading native ad

Disinformation has been one of the major roadblocks for the fight against the coronavirus. Social media is filled with falsehoods about how to prevent and treat Covid-19 — not to mention conspiracy theories claiming that the pandemic, which has already killed at least 2.4 million people, is one big hoax. In Brazil, even the president is an outspoken anti-vaxxer and continues to dismiss Covid-19 as a “little flu.” In this toxic environment for public debate, the Brazilian media has largely fulfilled its duty to keep Brazilians informed and denialist authorities in check.

Legacy media outlets banded together to form fact-checking networks and took it upon themselves to tally and report daily coronavirus numbers after the government tried to hide the magnitude of the crisis. But on Tuesday, eight of the country’s leading newspapers made a faux pas which could squander the...