Conference_Paper-PDF
Abstract — Many Governments around the globe are taking unequaled measures in healthcare to manage and contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). This conference paper focuses on how anti-vaxxers on Twitter act as a networked public to spread misinformation about the government’s health and safety policies regarding the Covid-19 pandemic. The anti-vaxxer movement gained significant momentum during the pandemic, with individuals and groups utilising social media specially Twitter, to discourage vaccination, promote unproven treatments and disseminate conspiracy theories.
This study examines how anti-vaxxers on Twitter created and maintained a networked public, which enabled them to coordinate and amplify their message, challenge the legitimacy of public health officials and institutions and recruit new members. The analysis reveals that the anti-vaxxer networked public on Twitter employs various strategies to spread their misinformation, including amplifying content from sympathetic sources, attacking dissenting voices, and promoting alternative narratives.
The findings highlight the need for public health officials and policymakers to develop effective strategies to counter the anti-vaxxer movement’s influence and promote accurate information about Covid-19 vaccines and other health policies.
Introduction
Covid-19 has been one of the greatest threats to the existence of the human species as experienced recently by the current generation. To combat the situation, according to Mills and Sailsbury (2020), the governments around the globe are increasingly mobilising vaccines against Covid-19, with triumph relying of effective take-up; nevertheless, there is an upsurge in hesitancy, connected to loss of trust, misinformation and complacency ( de Figueiredo et al., 2020; Mills et al., 2020). As public trust is very important in successful rollout and implementation of public health measures, especially during pandemic. But who does the public trust and where do they seek information during the periods of extensive lockdowns. As per Ramshaw (2023), Australians trust their social media news 30% more than the Americans who with 72% of population use the internet media like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Twitter as their source of health information (Massey, 2016, 21,118-121)
As per WeAreSocial(2020) the increase of social media consumers- mobile consumers, in particular- meant that there was never a better time to reach to the Australian public than through digital platforms. Figure 1 shows which application users send most of this time and heath and fitness is certainly of importance to them. These transformations have bought significant paybacks, but they have also crafted an enormously expanded and unfiltered knowledge environment. Misleading and unreliable and content is at least accessible as professionally revised news or information published by autoreactive sources (Australian Communications and Media Authority-ACMA, 2020) special on platform like Twitter.
Anti-vaxxers used this to their advantage and exploited Twitter to spread misinformation about vaccines by sharing false claims, conspiracy theories, and anecdotal evidence that exaggerates the risks of vaccination and downplay the benefits. They also act as a networked public and often used Twitter to attack and disrepute credible sources of information, such as health organizations and medical experts who support vaccination.
Misinformation and the quality of online news and information
Misinformation is a growing problem in the world of online news and information (ACMA, 2020). With the advent of social media and the ease of sharing information, it has become easier than ever for false or misleading information to spread quickly and widely.
One of the main challenges with online news and information is the lack of gatekeepers or traditional sources of authority that once helped ensure the quality of information. Anyone can publish anything on the internet, and there are few mechanisms in place to ensure that information is accurate or trustworthy (ACMA, 2020).
Information trash is impacting citizens capability to make good educated decisions. Misinformation, disinformation and mal-information together with increase of hate speech and propaganda, especially online, are inciting social divisions and creating a mistrust in public institutions (United Nations Development Program, 2022).
The ‘Misinformation Epidemiology’ landmine
According to research done by University of Sydney (2020), a standard online user was exposed to 757 vaccines – related tweets, of which 27 included vaccine-critical content; 36.7% users retweeted and some were engaged with vaccine – critical content posted by other actors in their communities.
The COVID-19 era was not by any chance the foremost use of social media, especially Twitter, in manipulating operations. Some time ago, for example, the 2016 US presidential election was a turbulent period. In the days, weeks and months leading up to the election date, social media sites were bombarded with what was known as “fake news” (Howardet al., 2017). Most fingers pointed to the Russian Federation as the most likely perpetrators (National Intelligence Council, 2017). A few years earlier, the Islamic State terrorist organisation (ISIS), used Twitter campaigns to encourage, radicalisation, spread propaganda and recruit overseas soldiers for its war on humanity (Klausen, 2015).
The factors and support encouraging the rumour’s for COVID-19 and Covid-19 Vaccination that have been utilised by the anti-vaxxers have been covered in several theme’s below:
Perception towards COVID-19 and its Vaccination
Public’s action or reaction towards COVID-19 vaccination were related to their theories, values, personal experiences or information received. Whilst the supporters acknowledged and accepted COVID-19 vaccination, those who worried were sceptical about conspiracy theories even going to the extent of calling it “mark of a beast” (Nabil Habibi,2021) or a microchipping via vaccine. Unexpected pause of many vaccine trials also acted as a catalyst in raising doubts among public about the safety of vaccination . This provide an opportunity to the anti-vaxxers to take to Twitter which was further fuelled by claims that they would not be getting vaccinated because of their previous experiences with vaccination related adversative outcomes. Many anti-vaxxer tweeted and disregarded COVID-19 that it had far lower causality rate than the common flu, thus making vaccination insignificant. Actors also Tweeted that public should focus on more important issues such as other diseases, climate change and aged care than COVID-19.
Soliciting for other Control Measures against COVID-19
Some Twitter users re-tweeted tweets that might have been propagated by conspiracy theorist or anti-vaxxers, eg. these twitters refuted cynicism over the safety of a rapidly fashioned vaccine, inaccurate claims about similarities between COVID-19 Vaccine and flu vaccines infections and deaths, and false beliefs about vaccination coverage for attaining herd immunity differencing across diseases.
They strongly believed that like other common cold and flu, everyone was vulnerable to COVID-19 after contracting the novel CORONA-19 virus without vaccination. Other myths and belief that were animated on Twitter included drinking bleach as disinfectant can cure COIVD-19, these people are oblivious of the fact that drinking bleach of disinfectant can cause serious harm to one’s health and not cure COVID-19. Further, tweets were made in relation to wearing mask can cause carbon dioxide poisoning. This is a myth as face mask do not lead to carbon dioxide poisoning as masks allow for the flow of air.
Promoting alternatives for their own benefits
As per the US Food and Drug Administration (2019), there was a group of Twitters who were trying to benefit from promoting their own products like Miracle Mineral Supplement (MMS) as effective treatment for COVID-19 since it contains sodium chlorite, which may be expended to make chlorine dioxide. Some were also tweeting and promoting Hydroxychloroquine as cheap and a very powerful, effective drug in the treatment of coronavirus. As per Therapeutic Goods Australia (2020), Hydroxychloroquine is an unproven treatment and “these medicines pose well-known serious risks to patients including cardiac toxicity (potentially leading to sudden heart attacks), irreversible eye damage and severe depletion of blood sugar (potentially leading to coma)”.
Further, as reported by The Sunday Telegraph (2020), a tweet by one of the users by the name of Pete Evans claimed that a BioCharger light machine costing $15,000 using ‘recipes of light’ can help treat coronavirus. BioCharger is not a treatment or cure for the coronavirus as stated by Advanced Biotechnologies, the manufacturer. Advanced Biotechnologies (2020) later stated that “The BioCharger is not a medical device and for that reason Advanced Biotechnologies suggest that anyone seek medical attention from their primary care provider if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19”.
Conclusion
Misinformation spread by anti-vaxxers is a serious concern, as it can contribute to vaccine hesitancy and ultimately lead to lower vaccination rates. Anti-vaxxers typically promote misinformation about vaccines, such as the false claim that vaccines cause autism or that they are not safe.
To counter this misinformation, it is important to provide accurate information about vaccines and to address common misconceptions. This can involve providing clear and simple explanations about how vaccines work, as well as addressing concerns about vaccine safety.
Healthcare providers, public health officials, and researchers can play an important role in countering vaccine misinformation by sharing accurate information with their patients and the public. It is also important to engage with people who are hesitant about vaccines and to address their concerns in a respectful and empathetic manner.
In addition, social media platforms and search engines have a responsibility to combat the spread of vaccine misinformation on their platforms. This can involve implementing fact-checking measures, removing false information, and promoting accurate information from credible sources.
In conclusion, countering vaccine misinformation requires a multi-pronged approach that involves individual efforts to promote accurate information, as well as larger-scale efforts by healthcare providers, public health officials, researchers, and technology companies.
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Hi L, The thing is the paper is mainly concentrated on the African continent particularly.If you make an analysis of…