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A study found exaggerated media reporting during the early months of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout ‘stoked’ the global spread of rumors about supposed adverse effects.
Researchers at the University of Western Australia used Google trends data and social media activity monitoring tools to track the spread of COVID-19 vaccination rumors from December 2020 to April 2021.
Among the topics studied were online discussions of clotting, fainting, infertility, Bell’s palsy, and the death of baseball icon Hank Aaron.
The UWA study determined that traditional mass media reporting was critical in encouraging and controlling discourse despite social media networks synthesising and amplifying dire event rumors in some situations.
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According to the study published in the International Journal of Public Health, “While committed anti-vaccination activists can circumvent traditional media and successfully generate spikes in interest and coverage, even these populations look to traditional media sources as markers of credibility.”
“Egregious reportage and sub-editing by publications clearly encourage ongoing circulation of misinformation – and the internet has facilitated the proliferation of less rigorous and credible reporting.”
It says that the media extensively circulated hyperbolic reporting, incentivizing writers and platforms to exaggerate allegations to increase story clicks.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Tauel Harper, urged the media to be “particularly earnest” when reporting adverse event allegations. He also recommends consulting with appropriate scientists before publishing.
On the other hand, Harper said scientists and health professionals should promote their own opinions to clarify stories that lack rigour.
“Our study suggests that such activities have a significant impact on the spread of rumours about adverse events, and therefore points to a need for available experts to help correct misinformation,” he said.
With AAP.
Additional read: COVID-19 – Crisis communication in a time of Coronavirus – CommsRoom
Jaw de Guzman is the content producer for Comms Room, a knowledge platform and website aimed at assisting the communications industry and its professionals.
