CM 180 Final Project
pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Boston University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
180
Subject
Communications
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
Pages
13
Uploaded by ElderSpider3861
CM 180: Final Project
29 April 2021
Luqi Chen, Mariam Yousef, Anmol Shah
COVID-19 Vaccine Misinformation and Impact on Public Perception
I.
Introduction
To get vaccinated or not to get vaccinated, that is the question. It may seem like a very
straightforward answer however, the ubiquitous disinformation of the COVID-19 vaccines have
gone to great lengths creating ambiguity and doubt. With trolls, conspiracy theorists, and alleged
scientific experts, the spread of misinformation has shown the world once again how preventing
a further outbreak of the coronavirus cannot be stopped with the freedom of the internet. Despite
over 200 million vaccines have been administered across the United States (CDC, 2021), the
number of vaccine-hesitant Americans continues to persist and skepticism of the vaccine and its
side effects remains to habituate social media platforms.
The spark of anti-vaccine misinformation is inseparable from online media which has
become a major platform for many to access health information. According to BMJ Global
Health, more than 70% of adults use online platforms to search for healthcare-related
information (Li, 2020). It also noted that approximately 23% of YouTube videos are
disseminating misinformation related to COVID-19. On the other hand, Facebook reported that
from March to April 2020, approximately 90 million pieces of content have placed warning
labels as they related to the Covid-19 misinformation such as false cures and anti-vaccination
propaganda (Barua, 2020).
Furthermore, according to the American Journal of Nursing, individuals who refuse
vaccines are more likely to obtain information from social networks rather than health
professionals (Danielson, 2019). Based on this understanding, it’s important to explore how
anti-vaccine supporters build their arguments on social platforms. Generally, the arguments of
1
2
anti-vaccine supporters are based on doubts about the use of multiple vaccines at an early stage
and the lack of personalized drug use plans. Their concerns lie in the possible adverse effects and
the constant changes in the vaccination schedule. Moreover, many anti-vaccine supporters are
against vaccinations because of their disbelief. For example, many people believe that because
the incidence rate of this disease is low for children therefore it’s unnecessary to vaccinate
children. According to a study conducted by the American
Academy of Pediatrics, 74% of
pediatricians find parents oppose or have delayed the administration of vaccines to their children
(Ortiz, 2020).
People who have misleading beliefs keep confirming their thoughts by exposing the
information that allies with them. On Facebook, anti-vaccine users describe themselves as a
“pro-science” group that attempts to highlight information that is being hidden from the public.
However, the study revealed that their posts and comments mainly discuss the distrust towards
pharmacists or healthcare providers and the negative experiences with vaccines. On the other
hand, according to a study, anti-vaccine users on Twitter based their posts and comments on
personal experience, possible risks, the components of the vaccine, and distrust in the
pharmaceutical industry (Soriano, 2020). In terms of interaction, anti-vaccination supporters are
more engaged in discussions on Twitter and share their content from a pull of strong influencers.
Furthermore, anti-vaccine Tweets were more likely to be shared than those expressing positive
feelings. Both these findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the spreading of
anti-vaccine misinformation on social media.
II.
Spiral of Silence Theory
As a result of such strong influence, many people who have been outspoken on social
media with loud voices have fallen into the idea of “monkey see, monkey do” otherwise known
2
3
as the Spiral of Science. Coined by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann in 1974, the Spiral of Science
theory illustrates how mass media influences public opinion. According to Elisabeth Neumann in
her book,
The Spiral of Science
, the theory refers to how people remain silent when they believe
their views are opposed to the majority consensus (Neumann, 1984). People who share the
minority opinion are reluctant to express their views as they fear that revealing their opinions
will result in the likelihood of social isolation. As the majority opinion continues to be promoted,
the less likelihood of minority groups are willing to express their views creating a spiral effect.
Elements of the spiral of silence theory are apparent when it comes to the misinformation
of the vaccine on social media. When the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine was first
released, the skepticism around the vaccine’s effectiveness and side effects submerged the topic
of conversation at the time. According to a survey conducted by the CDC, 23.4% of the
respondents surveyed in the United States stated that the reason why they choose not to get
vaccinated is because of concerns about the side effects and quick development of the vaccine
(CDC, 2021). When the respondents were asked where they acquired this information, they
stated to have obtained vaccine information on Facebook groups, Instagram pages, and Reddit
discussion forums.
As a result of increasing doubts regarding the vaccine, what propagates the effects of
misinformation is the online behavior and exposure to misinformation. As we tend to minimize
our biases when researching and acquiring information, our perception of what the consensus is
may differ. According to a BBC article, a French Facebook group with over 50,000 members
share and discuss conspiracy theories about the vaccines spreading false rumors about tracking
devices, DNA mix-ups, and ailments of the COVID-19 vaccines (BBC, 2021). Anti-vaccine
content on Facebook grew by 27% in 2020 (BBC Monitoring 2021) as a result of the spread of
3
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
4
false medical information. Such statistics create negative impressions on people making them
believe that these opinions are the consensus. This impacts people’s ability to oppose such
anti-vaccine groups further diminishing their capacity to express their contrary views. As
Facebook continues to serve as an echo chamber for the public, the importance of preventing
false homogenous opinions can only be tackled through influencers and the volume of content
shared on the internet. Such practices have been utilized, recognizing flaws within the spiral of
silence theory allowing for the reduction of misinformation.
As the fear of isolation may exist among many individuals on the internet, anti-vaccine
consensus does not influence a change in attitude the same way for everyone. As many people
online do seek others to make decisions, social media has permitted louder and more effective
communication among the public as world leaders and influencers have utilized such platforms
to minimize misinformation of the vaccine. The disinformation of COVID-19 vaccines continues
to propagate on social media however platforms such as Instagram and Facebook have taken the
necessary action to mitigate the spread of misinformation.
III.
Agenda-setting theory
Agenda setting theory in the media can shape the public's perception of what they should
think about and how to think about a particular story through framing. The theory was
formulated in 1972 by Maxwell McCombs and Donald Shaw. W. Russel Neuman, Professor of
Media Technology mentions in
The Dynamics of Public Attention
, that agenda-setting theory
refers to the standard paradigm of persuasion and change in attitudes. During the COVID-19
pandemic, fake news spread across social media informing the public about the dangers of the
vaccination. Thus, vaccine hesitancy created a widespread issue that emerged from the spread of
fake news. Many believed the media and chose to stand against the vaccine. The reason why
4
5
false rumors began to catch on among many people is that they tend to believe is that the vaccine
may alter DNA, causing infertility or miscarriage among women creating a greater risk of getting
sick from other diseases.
Many news articles have only focused on publishing about vaccine release dates and
supply reports, for example, articles on CNN and Washington Post. Such articles do not address
the public’s concerns such as vaccine side effects and efficacy. Other articles and posts on
various social media platforms spread false information about the vaccine. For instance, in
December 2020, social media posts circulated about the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
potentially causing infertility in women because of the ingredient syncytin-1 (Fauzia, 2020).
Based on the Agenda-setting theory, social media shapes how the public views the effects of the
vaccine, and in the case of misinformation online, public distrusts has caused an increase in
vaccination hesitancy across the United States. News posts and non-credible sources continue to
contribute to the misinformation by framing content in a way that influences people to become
more skeptical towards vaccines.
According to a national survey conducted by Carnegie Mellon University, the uptake
from the COVID-19 vaccine increased, but the proportion of adults who are vaccine-hesitant
remained the same. Out of 1.9 million Americans who responded to the survey, 23% of them had
a steady rate of vaccine hesitancy. (Kish, 2021). Research conducted by the Kaiser Family
Foundation tracks the nature of the U.S. public’s attitudes and experiences with the COVID-19
vaccine. The research studied more than 11,000 people and indicated that 70% of the people
surveyed were concerned about the side effects while 65% were concerned about being required
to get vaccinated when they do not want to (Hamel, 2021). The survey further explains how
COVID-19 vaccines have been perceived differently based on people’s ethnicities. According to
5
6
an NPR/PBS poll survey, 25% of African American respondents, 28% of white respondents, and
37% of Latino respondents indicated that they did not plan to get the vaccine (Summers 2021).
False information on vaccines targeted minority groups as well as certain political affiliations to
enhance the spread of misinformation further proliferating vaccine uncertainty.
IV.
Proposed Solution
In order to tackle this pressing problem, we have to demonstrate how anti-vaccine
misinformation spreads through social media and explain both the benefits and side effects of
vaccines. In addition, with billions of daily views, social media platforms like Facebook,
Instagram, and Twitter have tremendous potential to both promote and hinder public
misinformation. For this reason, an infographic, illustrating the spread of misinformation on
social media will provide scientific insights including concerns related to vaccines and their
safety to communicate how online users can prevent being influenced by disinformation. This
infographic, which can easily be delivered on social media, aims to reach anti-vaccine users and
individuals who have concerns about vaccines related issues. In order to deliver information
professionally, it is important to develop an effective and instructive communication strategy for
health organizations to inform the public about the precautions of the COVID-19 vaccine on
appropriate media channels. Therefore, advocating the establishment of online communities with
vaccine supporters and medical professionals will help promote the dissemination of
authoritative scientific information.
V.
Conclusion
Due to COVID-19, we are all experiencing massive threats and impacts on lives and
livelihoods. As the Director-General of the World Health Organization stated, we are now going
6
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
7
through an ‘infodemic’ (information epidemic) of misinformation (WHO, 2020). The
dissemination of misinformation also results in considerable social effects. Therefore, we want to
inform the public how misinformation is intentionally and unintentionally influencing us through
online media. Examining how vaccine-related information is portrayed on social media with
scientific insights has given media practitioners a sense of the importance of reliable
communication. Nevertheless, we should not only look at how anti-vaccine-related
misinformation is disseminated but also how effective strategies help the dissemination of
information from professional sources. As social media proceeds to be the primary source of our
medical knowledge, it is imperative for media practitioners and healthcare organizations to
minimize the spread of disinformation through appropriate communication.
7
8
Appendix
8
9
References
Barua, Z., Barua, S., Aktar, S., Kabir, N., & Li, M. (2020, July 21).
Effects of misinformation on
COVID-19 individual responses and recommendations for resilience of disastrous
consequences of misinformation
. Progress in Disaster Science.
Effects of misinformation on COVID-19 individual responses and recommendations for
resilience of disastrous consequences of misinformation
BBC. (2021, March 27).
The vaccine misinformation battle raging in France
. BBC News.
https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-56526265
Cunningham, P. W. (2021, March 11).
Analysis | The Health 202: The U.S. bought enough
coronavirus vaccines for three times its adult population
. The Washington Post.
Retrieved from:
Analysis | The Health 202: The U.S. bought enough coronavirus
vaccines for three times its adult population
Danielson, L., Marcus, B., & Boyle, L. (2019). Special Feature: Countering Vaccine
Misinformation. The American journal of nursing, 119(10), 50–55.
Special Feature: Countering Vaccine Misinformation: AJN The American Journal of
Nursing
9
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
10
Durkee, A. (2021, April 23). Here Are The States With The Greatest Covid-19 Vaccine
Hesitancy, Poll Says. Forbes.
Here Are The States With The Greatest Covid-19 Vaccine
Hesitancy, Poll Says
Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann: The Spiral of Silence. Public Opinion – Our Social Skin. Chicago
University Press, Chicago 1984.
Spiral of Silence
Elsevier. (2020, December 8).
COVID-19 vaccine myths debunked
. Mayo Clinic Health System
Retrieved from:
COVID-19 vaccine myths debunked
Fauzia, M. (2020, December 15).
Fact check: A false post on social media claims COVID-19
vaccine causes infertility in women
. USA Today. Retrieved from:
Fact check: A false
post on social media claims COVID-19 vaccine causes infertility in women
Gee, J. (2021, February 25).
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR): First Month of
COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring - United States, December 14, 2020–January 13,
2021
. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
First Month of COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Monitoring — United States, December 14,
2020–January 13, 2021, | MMWR
10
11
Germani, F., & Biller-Andorno, N. (2021, March 3).
The anti-vaccination infodemic on social
media: A behavioral analysis
. PLOS ONE.
The anti-vaccination infodemic on social media: A behavioral analysis
Glynn, J.C., Hayes, F.A. & Shanahan, J. (1997). “Perceived support for one’s opinions sand
willingness to speak out: A meta-analysis of survey
studies on the ‘spiral of silence’
Public Opinion Quarterly 61 (3):452-463.
Perceived Support for One's Opinions and
Willingness to Speak Out: A Meta-Analysis of Survey
Studies on the 'Spiral of Silence'
Kearney, A., Brodie, M., Hamel, & L., Lopes, L. (2021, March 30). KFF COVID-19 Vaccine
Monitor: March 2021. KFF. Retrieved from:
KFF COVID-19 Vaccine Monitor: March
2021 | KFF
Kim, S. R., & Nichols, M. (2021, April 20). 3 things scientists have learned about vaccine
hesitancy: Analysis. ABC News.
3 things scientists have learned about vaccine hesitancy:
Analysis
King, J. (Ed.). (2021, March 24).
Covid-19 Analysis: How anti-vaccine narratives went global
during the pandemic
. BBC Monitoring: Insight.
Covid-19 Analysis: How anti-vaccine
narratives went global during the pandemic
11
12
Kish, S. (2021, March 23). COVID-19
Vaccination Hesitancy Remains Unchanged
- Dietrich
College of Humanities and Social Sciences - Carnegie Mellon University. Retrieved
from:
COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy Remains Unchanged - Dietrich College of
Humanities and Social Sciences
Li, H., Y., Bailey, A., Huynh, D., & Chan, J. (2020,
May 1).
YouTube as a source of
information on COVID-19: a pandemic of misinformation?
BMJ Global Health.
YouTube as a source of information on COVID-19: a pandemic of misinformation?
Liptak, K., Zeleny, J., & Harwood, J. (2021, March 2).
Biden now says US will have enough
vaccine for every adult by the end of May
. CNN. Retrieved from:
Biden now says US will
have enough vaccine for every adult by the end of May
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). (2021, March 9).
Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Understanding How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
Nguyen KH, Srivastav A, Razzaghi H, et al. COVID-19 Vaccination Intent, Perceptions, and
Reasons for Not Vaccinating Among Groups Prioritized for Early Vaccination — United
States, September and December 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep
2021;70:217–222. DOI:
COVID-19 Vaccination Intent, Perceptions, and Reasons for Not
12
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
13
Vaccinating Among Groups Prioritized for Early Vaccination — United States,
September and December 2020 | MMWR
Ortiz-Sánchez, E., Velando-Soriano, A., Pradas-Hernández, L., Vargas-Román, K.,
Gómez-Urquiza, J. L., Cañadas-De la Fuente, G. A., & Albendín-García, L. (2020).
Analysis of the Anti-Vaccine Movement in Social Networks: A Systematic Review.
International journal of environmental research and public health
, 17(15), 5394.
Analysis of the Anti-Vaccine Movement in Social Networks: A Systematic Review
W. Russell Neuman, Lauren Guggenheim, S. Mo Jang, Soo Young Bae, The Dynamics of Public
Attention: Agenda-Setting Theory Meets Big Data, Journal of Communication, Volume
64, Issue 2, April 2014, Pages 193–214,
Dynamics of Public Attention: Agenda-Setting
Theory Meets Big Data
Sharevski, F., Jachim, P., & Florek, K. (2020). To tweet or not to tweet: covertly manipulating a
Twitter debate on vaccines using malware-induced misperceptions. Proceedings of the
15th International Conference on Availability, Reliability, and Security.
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2003.12093.pdf
Summers, J. (2021, March 12).
Little Difference In Vaccine Hesitancy Among White And Black
Americans, Poll Finds
. WBUR News. Retrieved from:
Little Difference In Vaccine Hesitancy Among White
And Black Americans, Poll Finds
13