Satellite imaging confirmed the data on the Johns Hopkins dashboard. However, some dark spaces on the map showed that there was missing data indicating that some countries were hiding the effects of the pandemic from the public.

Using social media posts and crowdsourcing platforms to direct investigations, technology was leveraged to verify the rumors. Satellite observations confirmed that there were mass graves being dug. Those high-resolution images also revealed abnormal patterns of human behavior enabling journalists to inform the public of what was happening.