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This week’s hottest gossip was about swabs to poke around.

When US government launches a new website You may have heard about it on Tuesday so people can request free home coronavirus tests at: everyone. Mothers texted their children. Friends first told each other in group chats and then in different group chats. maybe your garden club I told you.

There seemed to be a simple explanation for why a government website caught the attention of a new Beyoncé album: We love free stuff, and many Americans have asked for home Covid tests, but could not easily find or afford them.

But people who study human behavior told me there might be more to the story. The test kit website may have gone viral for the same reasons the Black Friday sale went viral: It feels good to say something that might help others—especially if the information sounds like confidential information—and trust people we know more than experts.

“We often see things go viral and we think it’s random chance or luck, but there are principles that make things more viral,” he said. Jonah Berger, professor of marketing at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and author of “Contagious: Why Things Get Caught.”

Dr. Berger said that when he sees people sharing information about test kits, he notices many of the same human tendencies businesses use to disseminate information about a new product.

The “secret” menu of the fast food chain In-N-Out Burger… no secret. Instead, Dr. Berger said it’s smart marketing that takes advantage of the ringing of pleasure we get from communicating what appears to be confidential information—whether we’re aware of the strategy or not.

That’s how gossip spreads, too, and that’s why we tended to tell our friends where we got toilet paper when it was hard to find.

We are also more likely to share information about a topic that evokes fear or other strong emotions. And of course, when products are special or we believe they are scarce, it makes us more willing to take action. Coronavirus test kits check all these boxes.

Jessica CalarcoDr., a professor of sociology at Indiana University, also told me that people tend to base their health decisions on the actions of people they know or believe to be like themselves. Social pressure – such as hearing about a coronavirus test website over and over from friends and family – more effective more than official health advice or medical advice.

Dr. News about the coronavirus testing website “was primarily spread more informally from person to person, creating social pressure for participation and instilling confidence in the system as a whole,” Calarco said.

Harmful rumors and conspiracy theories It can spread for similar reasons. We’re more inclined to report news that scare us, and we like to be informed and feel like we’re helping. Misinformation researchers warn against these rumors: seems to come from “a friend of a friend” because we are more likely to trust a claim that appears to come from our social connections.

Yet this week was yet another example of how the same behaviors and tendencies that helped sell hamburgers and spread gossip could persuade millions of Americans to contribute to the public good.

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Tip of the Week

Secure your online accounts (this time really)

Speaking of evoking strong emotions, Brian X. Chen, consumer technology columnist for The New York Times, is here with advice on boosting your digital security.

This week, President Biden shared his prediction: Russia will soon invade Ukraine, who’s computer networks have recently been the target of a wide-ranging cyberattack. It’s unclear what all of this means for the US, but security experts have warned that Ukraine is a testing ground for Russia’s cyberattacks, meaning those same attacks could eventually reach the Americans.

This is all hypothetical at the moment, but another good reminder to strengthen the protection of your online accounts. The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to make sure your online accounts are signed up for two-factor authentication; this adds a step to verify that you are who you say you are. Even if the password falls into the wrong hands, they cannot pretend to be you.

In past columnI’ve covered various methods for setting up two-factor authentication. One of the most powerful setups involves using an authentication app.

Here is an example of how to set up an authentication app with Facebook:

• Go to your app store on your phone and download a free authentication app like: Google Authenticator or authy.

• Next, go to Facebook’s website at: security and login settings. Click ‘Use two-factor authentication’ and then ‘edit’. Select an authentication application as your security method. From here, follow the onscreen instructions.

• Now every time you log into Facebook, you can open the authentication app and look at the six-digit temporary code generated for your Facebook account. You must enter this code to log in.

Setting up two-factor authentication on all your online accounts is a hassle. But once you set it up for the first time, it’s a breeze. Prioritize your most sensitive information, such as your online banking accounts.

Before you go …

• Clock ticking in congress: Time is running out for MPs to pass laws. Put a scarecrow on America’s tech giants, my colleagues Cecilia Kang and David McCabe are reporting. Democrats support legislation that targets the tech industry in far greater numbers than Republicans, and they could lose control of Congress this fall.

• What happened to the Instant Pot you returned?: NPR’s Planet Money podcast followed Two nursing school students lining up at a discount store each week buy and then resell products that people buy online and give back. Be prepared for a lesson in the sounds of competitive shopping and the complexity and costs of things we regret buying.

• Those who don’t buy anything and want to break their addiction to Facebook: “Buy Nothing” groups that offer neighbors free bowling balls or leftover pickle juice are among Facebook’s most enthusiastic communities. Verge, some groups Creating their own online space separate from Facebook.

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There was a woman in Canada reunited 12 years after her cat disappeared. Twelve years!

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