Social Media Use Ups Belief In Covid-19 Misinformation: Study
Muhammad Irfan Published December 14, 2020 | 07:55 PM
The more people rely on social media as their main news source the more likely they are to believe misinformation about the pandemic, said researchers
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 14th Dec, 2020 ) :The more people rely on social media as their main news source the more likely they are to believe misinformation about the pandemic, said researchers.
The study, published in the journal Telematics and Informatics, also found that levels of worry about Covid-19 increased the strength of people's belief in that misinformation.
"Fact checkers are important for social media platforms to implement. When there is no fact checker, people just choose to believe what is consistent with their pre-existing beliefs," said study author Yan Su from the Washington State University in the US.
It's also important for people to try to get out of their comfort zones and echo chambers by talking with people who have different points of view and political ideologies, Medical Daily reported.
"When people are exposed to different ideas, they have a chance to do some self-reflection and self-correction, which is particularly beneficial for deliberation," Su said.
For the study, the research team analysed responses to the 2020 American National Election Studies Exploratory Testing Survey, which was conducted at the start of the pandemic.
Of the 3,080 people who submitted questionnaires, a little more than 480 said they believed at least one of two pieces of misinformation about Covid-19: that the coronavirus was developed intentionally in a lab and that there was currently a vaccine for the virus.
The respondents were also asked to rate how confident they were in these beliefs.
They compared this data to the participants' other responses on the survey related to social media use, levels of worry and trust in scientists as well as how much the respondents valued discussions with people of differing viewpoints.
The team found an amplification effect from social media users who were particularly worried about the coronavirus.
"It seems that the more you use social media, the more likely you become worried about Covid-19, perhaps because there is a lot of unfounded and conspiracy theories on social media," Su said.
"Then this in turn can trigger a higher level of worry which leads to further belief in misinformation," the author noted
Related Topics
Recent Stories
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
ICC Asia looking forward to an action-packed Asia Cricket Week
Yuvraj Singh named ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 Ambassador
Greece hands Olympic flame to 2024 Paris Games hosts
Two Kyiv hospitals evacuating over feared Russian strikes
World must act on neurotech revolution, say experts
Charles & Catherine's cancer diagnoses
Champions Alcaraz and Sabalenka through in Madrid Open
King Charles to resume some public duties during cancer treatment: palace
US defense chief announces $6 bn in security aid for Ukraine
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
Woman stabbed in Israel, attacker killed: police
More Stories From Pakistan
-
SC to take up 9 identical petitions regarding judges' letter
11 minutes ago -
Woman committed suicide in Pindigheb
11 minutes ago -
Teenage girl abducted in Hassanabdal
11 minutes ago -
NTDC Super 8 Inter-Departmental Tape Ball Cricket Tournament concludes: GM (HR) team clinches the w ..
21 minutes ago -
AJK President calls for overseas Kashmiris' proactive role to expose the Modi government's nefarious ..
31 minutes ago -
AJK-wide campaign begins to vanish black-tinted glasses to all sorts of vehicles
40 minutes ago
-
Islamabad to be digitalized as pilot project under national digitalization plan: IT Minister
41 minutes ago -
HEC reviews curricula for environmental sciences degree programme
59 minutes ago -
Heavy rains cause damage to Spezand-Taftan railway track
1 hour ago -
Documentary on life of Jamiluddin Aali screened at embassy
1 hour ago -
"Sindh Theater Festival 2024" commences in Larkana
1 hour ago -
Blackmailer arrested after secret camera scandal in Mirpurkhas
1 hour ago