• THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE COVID-19 CRISIS

    • April 6, 2020
    • Posted By : anudip_2018
    • 0 Comment
    • communication COVID19 crisis digitalmedia pandemic2020 socialmedia

    The COVID-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented worldwide crisis. Western social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as their Chinese counterparts (such as WeChat and Weibo) are at the heart of this crisis. These platforms can act as architects of misinformation related to COVID-19. This perpetration of misinformation encompasses ‘outbreak response’ and increases confusion of what sources to trust. It also generates fear due to unsupported rumours, while simultaneously promoting bigoted and intolerant forms of digital vigilantism and incrimination.

    Rumours circulated on social media has been a primary pervasive form of misinformation during this crisis. One popular social media theory circulated on social media stated that the virus was created in order to wage a biological war against China. In China, a rumour was started on their social media platforms that bio weapons research in a Wuhan laboratory resulted in the genetic manufacturing of COVID-19 that was then released. Such rumours have made it difficult for West and Chinese scientists to collaborate in creating a vaccine for the virus. Exaggerated and unverified medical rumours have also been widely circulated on social media platforms during this time. Various unproven remedies were suggested as cures to both COVID-19. One of them that was particularly popular in Iran and circulated via Twitter, was that drinks containing mint and spices like turmeric or saffron could help cure this virus.

    Therefore, this pandemic has caused us to live in a ‘post-truth society’—one where subjective truths and unverified opinions take precedence over hard scientific facts in online social platforms. The need for evidence to support arguments has ceased to become important, as social norms for holding people accountable for what they say (without proof) becomes increasingly debilitated. This leads to scientists and other experts losing legitimacy in the eyes of the public because what they say is no longer valid. The impact of social media misinformation during such a crisis is all the more distinct because of a phenomenon called ‘confirmation bias’—the tendency to accept statements that reinforce our established views and downplay those that are contrary to them.

    However, in this digital age we cannot completely forego social media because it is still the centre of most breaking news. Misinformation via social media can be reduced after developing synchronized global response strategies. Social media platforms should be central to these strategies, as their response and willingness to cooperate with the relevant government institutions and experts will determine whether social media is viewed as a beneficial or detrimental route to this pandemic response. Right now, it’s imperative to create policies and enact mechanisms that address the digital information and curtail the spread of fabrication about such viruses. Without this, efforts to curtail COVID-19 will be mired by panic and confusion at a time when the world needs to unite to defeat this pandemic.

    Blogger: Pritha Banerjee

    To read her blogs, visit (https://mindmusingsdotblog.wordpress.com

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