INFODEMIC
INFODEMIC!
By Jocelyn Gonzalez-Etheredge BSN RN
For most people in the United States, the technology of social media has been embedded in their daily routine. Almost everyone I know has some kind of social media account, be it Facebook (Fb), Instagram (Ig), or Snapchat. Even public organizations, private corporations, activists, artists and more can be found on social media interacting with the international community.
Back in the day, social media was developed as a means to keep people connected via virtual networks sharing a variety of personal content–photos, home movies, special occasions, professional accomplishments, the list goes on. Curiously, these personal connections and networks have evolved over the decades to become a widely available platform for health information, news, and political debate (Chou & Gaysynsky, 2020; Zielinski, 2021).
True story: I’m dependent on social media technology. Why? Social media is so convenient! I am able to keep up with friends and family that I am unable to see regularly on my Fb timeline. It even reminds me of what I was up to 1, 5, or 10 years ago! I really enjoy connecting with others with similar interests. I’m connected with Neuroscience Research and Screw it, let’s talk astrology, among others. Where else could I join such diverse communities?
Social media was invaluable in September 2017, when Hurricane Maria landed in Puerto Rico. My 98-year-old grandmother and uncle were on the island during the storm. It took days before my family learned they were safe– because of a photo of my Abuelita, posted by Tio who was able to connect (somehow, someway) to Fb!
I also like having access to numerous news and media platforms, NPR, BBC, Vox, DIY--- I follow them all! And, like most Millenials, I like keeping up with pop culture– ie MEMES.
Of course, like with all great technology, there is always a downside. And because social media has more downsides than I can cover in this blog, I’ll focus on something that has captured my attention in how it affects my personal life and professional life as a nurse: the emergence of misinformation and disinformation occurring within an infodemic.
Allow me to elaborate. An infodemic is a time when there are vast amounts of rapidly spreading digital information concerning a problem. This information cannot be easily fact-checked, and eventually hinders potential solutions to the problem (Zielinski, 2021). The novel coronavirus of 2020–you know the one– has likely been made worse because the public health infection control response was hindered by false or misleading information (Chou & Gaysynsky, 2020).
Disinformation and misinformation are sometimes collectively called “fake news” (Greene & Murphy 2021). MISinformation is information that is false/mostly false or useless (Zielinski, 2021). This is the information shared by your friends on social media because they inaccurately believe the information is true, and have intentions of informing/educating when clicking that “share” icon.
More nefarious is DISinformation, which is false/mostly false information disseminated for the purpose of misleading, to gain support for certain ideologies, politics, or social constructs (Zielinski, 2021; Greene & Murphy 2021). Propaganda in the Digital Age.
Disinformation can be distorted facts or even fabricated data made to support particular narratives, some of which have undue substantial influence. For example, the 2016 Presidential Election was rife with fake news---disinformation that was then shared as misinformation on Fb. It has been reported that bots– social media accounts run by software impersonating American citizens–were spreading disinformation (Young et al, 2021). These bots were running profiles, setting up groups, and spreading conspiracy theories as fact with aims to interfere with voter perception. The disinformation was so prolific and influential that founder Mark Zuckerberg testified before a US Senate Judiciary Committee, vowing the company would do more to curb the spread of fake news (Kurtzleben, 2018).
Fast forward to September 2021, and the US is still fending off the COVID 19 pandemic.
Why is that, you ask? Likely because there are a significant amount of people who are getting their health information from within an “echo chamber”–made up of their social media space only presenting them with content that supports their convictions, regardless of the information is true or false (Ritter et al, 2021).
How is it that some people aren’t able to tell the difference between fact and fiction? While this is not a question I had thought of before the pandemic-infodemic, now that I want an answer, I found a few hypotheses that make good sense. The first possible explanation has to do with how misinformation is presented, or, in other words– marketing is a powerful thing.
The News Literacy Project (2021) identifies five types of potentially influencing misinformation:
Satire - may be mistaken for actual news
False context - uses a piece of information out of context
Imposter content - uses a famous person/logo/brand to promote bad info
Manipulated content - distorts actual information to support bad info
Fabricated content- straight up, made up!
Let’s be honest. Some of these disinformation “bad actors” do a good job of making this information seem credible. I’m a fangirl of political satire, but there have been a few times (especially during the 2020 election cycle) where I was forced to cross-reference and fact check because some things looked too good to be true. And I refuse to be bamboozled by flashy content.
Another possible explanation for the alarming rise in influential misinformation may be rooted in psychosocial traits (Scherer et al, 2021). There is preliminary research demonstrating that there are certain people who are susceptible to health-related misinformation based on three qualities:
Low levels of education/ health literacy
Positive attitudes towards “alternative” treatment
Distrust in the health care system (and public institutions in general)
The CDC (2021) defines personal health literacy as: “ the degree to which individuals have the ability to find, understand, and use information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions for themselves and others.” This knowledge deficit, compounded with pervasive distrust within certain political ideologies, and the growing trend of seeking out “alternative” treatments (probably based on the aforementioned distrust) has further complicated the difficult reality public health officials face in terms of health-related misinformation (Chou & Gaysynsky, 2020; Scherer et al, 2021).
While all of the information I just presented may fuel (my) existential dread, I can tell you there are public health researchers, informaticians, and other stakeholders looking at potential solutions to this broad-reaching problem. (Chou et al, 2020; Ritter et al, 2021; Scherer et al, 2021; Young et al, 2021; Zielinski, 2021)
Some experts have suggested the development of a top-level domain (TDL) made for evidence-based health information (Zielinski, 2021). This ideal domain would be secure, maintained by health experts, and available to the public. A health information domain of this kind has yet to be tangibly realized, but the UN has named a health information TLD as one of the goals for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of 2030 (Zielinski, 2021). The key to funding, creating, and maintaining such a domain is a coordinated effort among public health and information experts throughout the world. Neither a quick, nor easy solution.
Other solutions proposed are network targeted strategies, like making credible health information content viral on social media, or developing bots that spread good information. In essence, shift ways of making misinformation possible into ways that disseminate factual health information. Some are advocating for the redesign of social media platforms, to better manage the flow of misinformation. For example, in light of the pandemic-infodemic, Google has made alterations to its search engine algorithm to prioritize reliable health information (Ritter et al, 2021; Young et al, 2021; Zielinski, 2021).
These large-scale solutions are time-intensive and resource-heavy. Right now–in the midst of a global pandemic– we need solutions, posthaste!
To my relief, it turns out there is a couple simple, evidence-based solutions that nurses on social media can implement to help to mitigate the spread of misinformation–peer to peer correction of misinformation, and educating others on how to critically evaluate content shared on social media (cross reference, fact-check), skills we learned in baccalaureate nursing science programs(Scherer et al, 2021).
Nurses have been the most trusted profession for almost 20 years. As a profession, nurses have the knowledge, skills, and (in my humble opinion) an obligation to promote and support public health endeavors. By being cognizant of bad information within our own social media network, we have the opportunity to help stop the spread and negative effects of the current infodemic.
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