No, UAlberta does not (and will NOT) host COVID Parties

As Alberta continues to move through the recovery stages of the pandemic, the world around us appears to be opening more each day. And…

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As Alberta continues to move through the recovery stages of the pandemic, the world around us appears to be opening more each day. And while it's true that larger gatherings are possible, public health measures are and should still be firmly in place. The same goes for common sense.

On July 16 a new Instagram account appeared called "UAlberta Covid Parties" and invitations to follow it were sent to members of the U of A community. While we should all seek opportunities to remain connected while we're apart, this new account is definitely not the way to do it.

All of our information suggests this account is a fake that may have been created to cause harm. If you're invited to join it (or others like it), don't. It's that simple: do not follow it. Complaints are being filed with Instagram and it will hopefully disappear soon.

July 22 update: Instagram has removed the account.

The account is nearly identical to similar versions that have appeared at places like the University of Arizona and the University of Auckland. Again, they appear to be fake accounts that are part of a coordinated effort to cause harm.

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While fake accounts like this are disappointing to see, the response from the U of A community has been encouraging. Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni have expressed outrage, disbelief, and disappointment that anyone would create such an account.

The pandemic has been difficult for everyone, including our students, and as a community, we should all be proud of the efforts and sacrifices that they have made to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

If you see an account misusing the University of Alberta's identity as their own, report it. Contact University Relations, via the email address toolkit@ualberta.ca. No question or tip is too small or silly. If anyone is not sure if an account is legitimate, send a quick email to find out.

The U of A's reputation is built on the true efforts of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni. We do great things and work to uplift the whole people. We don't host COVID parties.

Tips to Help Stop the Spread of Misinformation:

  • Apply a critical eye: Part of life at a university involves critical analysis of the information that's presented to us. If something seems off and you can't confirm it through another source, it's probably fake.
  • Confirm the source: We verify sources for our research papers, we should verify sources when we're online. If a source looks untrustworthy, it probably is.
  • Don't share it: If you think something looks questionable, don't share it. Sharing a link to a site that could be harmful only amplifies its reach.