Young people’s responses to COVID-19 as the pandemic spread across the world: lessons from real-time analysis of online viewer engagement with a pan-African COVID-19 miniseries (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In April 2020, as cases of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) spread across the globe, MTV Staying Alive Foundation created the educational entertainment miniseries MTV Shuga: Alone Together. In 70 short episodes released daily on YouTube, Alone Together aimed to disseminate timely and accurate information to increase young people’s knowledge, motivation and actions to prevent COVID-19. OBJECTIVE We sought to identify young people’s perspectives on the global COVID-19 pandemic and national lockdowns by examining the words, conversations, experiences and emotions expressed on social media in response to the Alone Together episodes. We also assessed how viewers used the series and its online community as a source of support during the global pandemic. METHODS 3,982 comments and 70 live chat conversations were extracted from YouTube between April-October 2020 and analysed through a data-led inductive thematic approach. Analyses were conducted within one week of episodes premiering. Aggregated demographic and geographical data were collected using YouTube Analytics. RESULTS The miniseries had a global reach across 5 continents, with a total 7.7 million views across MTV Shuga platforms. The series had almost 1 million views over 70 episodes on YouTube and an average 5,683 unique viewers per episode on YouTube. The dominant audience was young people (65%, between 18-24 years old) and women (85%). Across diverse countries like Nigeria, Ghana, the USA and the UK, viewers believed that COVID-19 was serious and expressed that it was people’s social responsibility to follow public health measures. The series storylines about the impact of self-isolation on mental health, exposure to violence in lockdowns and restricted employment opportunities due to the pandemic resonated with young viewers. Tuning in to the miniseries provided viewers with reliable information, entertainment, and an online community during an isolating, confusing and worrying time. CONCLUSIONS During the first wave of COVID-19, young people from 53 countries connected on social media via the MTV miniseries. The analysis showed how digitally connected young people, predominantly young women, felt compelled to follow COVID-19 safety measures despite the pandemic’s impact on their psychosocial needs. Viewers used social media to reach out to fellow viewers for advice, solace, support and resources. Organisations, governments and individuals have been forced to innovate during the pandemic to ensure people can access services safely and remotely. This analysis showed that young people are receptive to receiving support from online communities and media services. Peer influence and support online can be a powerful public health tool as young people have a great capacity to influence each other and shape norms around public health. However, online services are not accessible to everyone, and COVID-19 has increased disparities between digitally connected and unconnected young people.

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The Impact of Social Media on Social Movements

Advances in Social Networking and Online Communities - Online Communities as Agents of Change and Social Movements ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-2495-3.ch009 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 224-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

İrem Eren-Erdoğmuş ◽

Sinem Ergun

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Social Movements ◽

Content Analysis ◽

Online Community ◽

Emerging Market ◽

Primary Objective ◽

The Usa ◽

Similarities And Differences ◽

The Right ◽

The Impact

The primary objective of this chapter is to analyze the support of social media for social movements within the context of the anti-consumption movement. Social media have proved to be strategic for initiating, organizing and communicating social movements. The anti-consumption movement is a trend of the postmodernism era that has not yet reached a large following. A secondary aim of this chapter is to analyze the similarities and differences in the support of social media for the anti-consumption movement between one developed and one emerging market. To achieve this goal, a content analysis was employed to analyze Facebook accounts of anti-consumption online communities in the USA and Turkey. The findings show that social media can be the right medium to increase coverage of social movements in society. Additionally, the online institutionalization and decentralized organization of the online community as well as stable social media sharing help support non-radical social movements like anti-consumption.

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The Relationship Between Highly Visual Social Media and Young People’s Mental Health: A Scoping Review (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18177 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alanna McCrory

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Young People ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Quantitative Methods ◽

Grey Literature ◽

Significant Proportion ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Published Evidence ◽

The Impact

UNSTRUCTURED Users of highly visual social media (HVSM), such as Snapchat and Instagram, share their messages through images, rather than relying on words. A significant proportion of people that use these platforms are adolescents. Previous research reveals mixed evidence regarding the impact of online social technologies on this age group’s mental wellbeing, but it is uncertain whether the psychological effects of visual content alone differ from text-driven social media. This scoping review maps existing literature that has published evidence about highly visual social media, specifically its psychological impact on young people. Nine electronic databases and grey literature from 2010 until March 2019 were reviewed for articles describing any aspect of visual social media, young people and their mental health. The screening process retrieved 239 articles. With the application of eligibility criteria, this figure was reduced to 25 articles for analysis. Results indicate a paucity of data that exclusively examines HVSM. The predominance of literature relies on quantitative methods to achieve its objectives. Many findings are inconsistent and lack the richness that qualitative data may provide to explore the reasons for theses mixed findings.

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Fake news on Facebook: examining the impact of heuristic cues on perceived credibility and sharing intention

Internet Research ◽

10.1108/intr-10-2019-0442 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Khudejah Ali ◽

Cong Li ◽

Khawaja Zain-ul-abdin ◽

Muhammad Adeel Zaffar

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Fake News ◽

Content Type ◽

Perceived Credibility ◽

News Credibility ◽

The Impact ◽

Practical Implications ◽

Active Processing

PurposeAs the epidemic of online fake news is causing major concerns in contexts such as politics and public health, the current study aimed to elucidate the effect of certain “heuristic cues,” or key contextual features, which may increase belief in the credibility and the subsequent sharing of online fake news.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a 2 (news veracity: real vs fake) × 2 (social endorsements: low Facebook “likes” vs high Facebook “likes”) between-subjects experimental design (N = 239).FindingsThe analysis revealed that a high number of Facebook “likes” accompanying fake news increased the perceived credibility of the material compared to a low number of “likes.” In addition, the mediation results indicated that increased perceptions of news credibility may create a situation in which readers feel that it is necessary to cognitively elaborate on the information present in the news, and this active processing finally leads to sharing.Practical implicationsThe results from this study help explicate what drives increased belief and sharing of fake news and can aid in refining interventions aimed at combating fake news for both communities and organizations.Originality/valueThe current study expands upon existing literature, linking the use of social endorsements to perceived credibility of fake news and information, and sheds light on the causal mechanisms through which people make the decision to share news articles on social media.

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Can the Health-Care System Meet the Challenge of Pandemic Flu? Planning, Ethical, and Workforce Considerations

Public Health Reports ◽

10.1177/003335490712200503 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 122 (5) ◽

pp. 573-578 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Peter J. Levin ◽

Eric N. Gebbie ◽

Kristine Qureshi

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Care ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Care Delivery ◽

Care Staff ◽

Health Care Staff ◽

Accurate Information ◽

The Public ◽

Health Care Delivery Systems ◽

The Impact

The federal pandemic influenza plan predicts that 30% of the population could be infected. The impact of this pandemic would quickly overwhelm the public health and health-care delivery systems in the U.S. and throughout the world. Surge capacity for staffing, availability of drugs and supplies, and alternate means to provide care must be included in detailed plans that are tested and drilled ahead of time. Accurate information on the disease must be made available to health-care staff and the public to reduce fear. Spokespersons must provide clear, consistent messages about the disease, including actions to be taken to contain its spread and treat the afflicted. Home care will be especially important, as hospitals will be quickly overwhelmed. Staff must be prepared ahead of time to assure their ability and willingness to report to work, and public health must plan ahead to adequately confront ethical issues that will arise concerning the availability of treatment resources. The entire community must work together to meet the challenges posed by an epidemic. Identification and resolution of these challenges and issues are essential to achieve adequate public health preparedness.

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COVID-19 as an “Infodemic” in Public Health: Critical Role of the Social Media

Frontiers in Public Health ◽

10.3389/fpubh.2021.610623 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Debanjan Banerjee ◽

K. S. Meena

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Media ◽

Critical Role ◽

Global Public Health ◽

Sources Of Information ◽

Multiple Sources ◽

Health Crisis ◽

Digital Platforms ◽

The Impact

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as a significant and global public health crisis. Besides the rising number of cases and fatalities, the outbreak has also affected economies, employment and policies alike. As billions are being isolated at their homes to contain the infection, the uncertainty gives rise to mass hysteria and panic. Amidst this, there has been a hidden epidemic of “information” that makes COVID-19 stand out as a “digital infodemic” from the earlier outbreaks. Repeated and detailed content about the virus, geographical statistics, and multiple sources of information can all lead to chronic stress and confusion at times of crisis. Added to this is the plethora of misinformation, rumor and conspiracy theories circulating every day. With increased digitalization, media penetration has increased with a more significant number of people aiding in the “information pollution.” In this article, we glance at the unique evolution of COVID-19 as an “infodemic” in the hands of social media and the impact it had on its spread and public reaction. We then look at the ways forward in which the role of social media (as well as other digital platforms) can be integrated into social and public health, for a better symbiosis, “digital balance” and pandemic preparedness for the ongoing crisis and the future.

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Exploring experiences and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young racially minoritised people in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Study

10.31235/osf.io/t4wqs ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rochelle Ann Burgess ◽

Nancy Kanu ◽

Tanya Matthews ◽

Owen Mukotekwa ◽

Amina Smith-Gul ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Survival Strategies ◽

Emotional Wellbeing ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Public Health Response ◽

Significant Research ◽

The Impact

Within high-income-countries, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted people from racially minoritised backgrounds. There has been significant research interrogating the disparate impact of the virus, and recently, interest in the long-term implications of the global crisis on young people’s mental health and wellbeing. However, less work explores the experiences of young people from racialised backgrounds as they navigate the pandemic, and the specific consequences this has for their mental health. Forty young people (age 16-25) from black, mixed and other minority backgrounds and living in London, participated in consecutive focus group discussions over a two-month period, to explore the impact of the pandemic on their lives and emotional wellbeing. Thematic analysis identified seven categories describing the impact of the pandemic, indicating: deepening of existing socioeconomic and emotional challenges; efforts to navigate racism and difference within the response; and survival strategies drawing on communal and individual resources. Young people also articulated visions for a future public health response which addressed gaps in current strategies. Findings point to the need to contextualize public health responses to the pandemic in line with the lived experiences of racialised young people. We specifically note the importance of long-term culturally and socio-politically relevant support interventions. Implications for policy and practice are discussed

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In Conversation… Dr Bernadka Dubicka

10.13056/acamh.12103 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Young People ◽

Impact Study ◽

Children And Young People ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

The Impact

Bernadka discusses the IMPACT study, the use of technology among children and young people, including the positives and negatives of social media. Includes transcription, and links.

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Round table: Online anti-vaccination movements: the role of social media in public health communications

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.681 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Social Networks ◽

Social Media ◽

Real Time ◽

Hpv Vaccine ◽

Digital Health ◽

World Health ◽

Swine Flu ◽

Potential Impact ◽

The Impact

Abstract Digital health has revolutionised healthcare, with implications for understanding public reaction to health emergencies and interventions. Social media provides a space where like-minded people can share interests and concerns in real-time, regardless of their location. This can be a force for good, as platforms like Twitter can spread correct information about outbreaks, for example in the 2009 swine flu pandemic. However, social media can also disseminate incorrect information or deliberately spread misinformation leading to adverse public health sentiment and outcomes. The current issues around trust in vaccines is the best-known example. Vaccine hesitancy, traditionally linked to issues of trust, misinformation and prior beliefs, has been increasingly fueled by influential groups on social media and the Internet. Ultimately, anti-vaccination movements have the potential to lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, especially if refusal is concentrated locally, creating vulnerable populations. For example, 2018-19 saw a large increase in incidence of measles in the US and Europe (where cases tripled from 2017), two regions where the disease was already or almost eliminated. In 2019, the World Health Organisation listed anti-vaccination movements as one of the top 10 threats to global public health. HPV vaccination is another example of the impact of anti-vaccination movements. As viral videos originating on YouTube spread across social networks, uptake has tumbled in a number of countries, with Japan, Denmark, Colombia and Ireland being badly hit. In Japan, the government came under sufficient pressure that they de-recommended HPV vaccine, seeing an 80% uptake rate fall below 1% in 2014. There have been reports of successful interventions by national governments. A recent campaign run by the HPV Alliance (a coalition of some 35 private companies, charities and public institutions) in Ireland has seen rates below 40% back up to a national average of 75%. A combination of hard-hitting personal testimonials, social media and traditional media promoted the HPV vaccine. Despite this, systematic engagement and supranational strategies are still in the early stages of being formulated. As misleading information spread through social media and digital networks has undesirable impact on attitudes to vaccination (and uptake rates), urgent actions are required. Analysis and visualisation techniques mining data streams from social media platforms, such as Twitter, Youtube enable real-time understanding of vaccine sentiments and information flows. Through identification of key influencers and flashpoints in articles about vaccination going viral, targeted public health responses could be developed. This roundtable discussion will showcase different ways in which media and social networks, accessible in real-time provide an opportunity for detecting a change in public confidence in vaccines, for identifying users and rumors and for assessing potential impact in order to know how to best respond. Key messages Social media has significantly enhanced our understanding of anti-vaccination movements and potential impact on public health attitudes and behaviors regarding vaccination. Innovative methods of analysing social media data, from digital health, data science and computer science, have an important role in developing health promotions to counter anti-vaccination movements.

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Cross-cultural differences in the adoption of social media

Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing ◽

10.1108/jrim-10-2017-0092 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

pp. 119-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Dhoha A. Alsaleh ◽

Michael T. Elliott ◽

Frank Q. Fu ◽

Ramendra Thakur

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Cultural Influences ◽

Cultural Characteristics ◽

Modified Model ◽

Content Type ◽

The Usa ◽

Different Cultures ◽

The Impact ◽

Cross National

PurposeAs social media have become very popular and an integral part of the world economy in recent years, identifying factors that influence consumers’ attitudes toward social media sites has become a major goal of many researchers in academia and industry. This paper aims to identify factors that predict consumers’ attitudes and intentions toward usage of Instagram, a relatively new social media tool. In addition, it examines the role of an important dimension of culture – individualism vs collectivism –to determine cultural influences on the adoption of social media in the USA (i.e. an individualistic culture) and Kuwait (i.e. a collectivist culture).Design/methodology/approachData were collected from a convenience sample of undergraduate business and MBA students from Kuwait and the USA. To validate the measures for the constructs depicted in the conceptual model, the authors conducted an exploratory factor analysis using all items. They then conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to further evaluate the adequacy and validity of the measurement model. They also tested the hypotheses using structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsOut of the nine hypotheses that were tested for significance, the SEM results indicated that seven hypotheses were significant. The results indicated a non-significant result between perceived critical mass is not a predictor of perceived usefulness and social influence to attitude.Research limitations/implicationsThe current study has some limitations that need to be recognized and can be used as guidelines for future research. First, college students represent only a portion of online users and may impact the external validity of our study. Hence, a more diverse sample with a broader range of ages, incomes, education levels, cultures and national origins would be advisable. Second, this study featured a dynamically continuous innovation (Instagram) rather than a discontinuous innovation. Third, other factors can be carried out to see other variables other than those described in this study to predict consumer’s attitude and intention to use the social media.Practical implicationsCultural characteristics such as individualism/collectivism would seem to be potentially useful when segmenting countries. The results of the current study indicate that the modified model is applicable to a cross-national group of social media users. This study demonstrates the impact of cultural characteristics on various technology adoption. Hence, managers must be aware that countries can be grouped according to the type of cultural effect within each. Each social media category, clusters can be formed consisting of countries that are expected to have similar usage patterns based on technological capability and social norms. By understanding the factors that influence each cluster of countries, firms can design customized social media programs.Social implicationsThis research provides valuable information to better understand the consumers’ attitudes and intentions toward the emerging social media landscape. Indeed, the popularity of social media has greatly changed the way in which people communicate in today’s world. In particular, Instagram has gradually become a major communication media for both social and business purposes. This research shed light into the factors that influence intentions to adopt social media across different cultures. It empirically examines the role of culture – individualism vs collectivism – by using two samples (i.e. Kuwait and the USA) to determine cultural influences on the adoption of social media in different cultures.Originality/valueUsing data drawn from Kuwait and US samples, this current study draws upon the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975) and the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989). The results of the analysis indicate that the modified model is applicable to a cross-national group of social media users. Moreover, this study demonstrates the impact of cultural characteristics on various technology adoption constructs in the model.

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