As the COVID-19 virus became a pandemic in March 2020, the amount of (time-stamped written) data, such as news/newspaper reports, scientific articles, social media posts (e.g. blogs and twitter), surveys and other information about the virus and its symptoms, prevention, management and transmission became massively available. Such data contained both valid and reliable information, and relevant facts from trusted sources and also rumors, conspiracy theories and misinformation from unofficial ones.