COVID-19 and Vitamin D Misinformation on YouTube: A Content Analysis (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Kathleen Quinn ◽  
Shelby Fenton ◽  
Chelsea A. Ford-Sahidzada ◽  
Andrew Harper ◽  
Alessandro R. Marcon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin D ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Medical Professionals ◽  
Solar Ultraviolet Radiation ◽  
Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Solar Uv

BACKGROUND The “infodemic” accompanying the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic has the potential to increase avoidable spread as well as engagement in risky health behaviours. While social media platforms such as YouTube can be an inexpensive and effective method of sharing accurate health information, inaccurate and misleading information shared on YouTube can be dangerous for viewers [1]. OBJECTIVE The confusing nature of data and claims surrounding the benefits of vitamin D, particularly in the prevention or cure of COVID-19, influences both viewers and the general “immune boosting” commercial interest. METHODS YouTube video results for the search terms COVID, coronavirus, and vitamin D were collected and analyzed for content themes and deemed useful or misleading, based on the accuracy or inaccuracy of the content. Qualitative content analysis and simple statistical analysis were used to determine the prevalence and frequency of concerning content, such as confusing correlation with causation regarding vitamin D benefits. RESULTS 77 videos with 10,225,763 views (at the time of data collection) were included in the analysis, with over three quarters of them containing misleading content about COVID-19 and vitamin D. 58% of the videos confused the relationship between vitamin D and COVID-19, with 85% of the videos stating that vitamin D had preventative or curative abilities. The major contributor of these videos were medical professionals with YouTube accounts. Vitamin D recommendations that do not align with current literature were frequently suggested, included taking over the recommended safe dosage or seeking intentional solar ultraviolet radiation exposure. CONCLUSIONS The spread of misinformation is particularly alarming when spread by medical professionals and confusion of existing data suggesting vitamin D has “immune boosting” abilities can add to viewer confusion or mistrust in health information. Further, the suggestions made in the videos may increase risks of other poor health outcomes, such as skin cancer from solar UV radiation.

scholarly journals Degrees of Freedom: Exploring Agency, Narratives, and Technological Affordances in the #TakeAKnee Controversy

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 205630511982612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith E. Rosenbaum
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Structuration Theory ◽  
The Social ◽  
American National Identity ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Media Narratives ◽  
Technological Affordances

This study extends current research into social media platforms as counterpublic spaces by examining how the social media narratives produced by the #TakeAKnee controversy negotiate technological affordances and existing discourses surrounding American national identity. Giddens’ Structuration Theory is used to explore the nature of user agency on social media platforms and the extent to which this agency is constrained or enabled by the interplay between the systems and structures that guide social media use. Exploratory qualitative content analysis was used to analyze and compare tweets and Instagram posts using the #TakeAKnee hashtag shared in September 2017. Results showed that narratives are dominated by four themes, freedom, unity, equality and justice, and respect and honor. Users actively employ technological affordances to create highly personalized meanings, affirming that agency operates at the intersection of reflexivity and self-efficacy.

scholarly journals The battle to end fake news: A qualitative content analysis of Facebook announcements on how it combats disinformation

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petros Iosifidis ◽  
Nicholas Nicoli
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Culture Media ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Digital Culture ◽  
Fake News ◽  
Digital Democracy ◽  
Descriptive Account ◽  
The World ◽  
Social Media Platforms

The recent spread of online disinformation has been profound and has played a central role in the growth of populist sentiments around the world. Facilitating its progression has been politically and economically motivated culprits who have ostensibly taken advantage of the digital freedoms available to them. At the heart of these freedoms lie social media organisations that only a few years earlier techno-optimists were identifying as catalysts of an enhanced digital democracy. In order to curtail the erosion of information, policy reform will no doubt be essential. The UK's Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Disinformation and ‘fake news’ Report and Cairncross Review, and the European Commission's Report on Disinformation are three recent examples seeking to investigate how precisely such reform policy might be implemented. Just as important is how social media organisations take on more responsibility and apply self-regulating mechanisms that stifle disinformation across their platforms (something the aforementioned reports identify). Doing so will go a long way in restoring legitimacy in these significant institutions. Facebook (which includes Instagram and Whatsapp), is the largest social media organisation in the world and must primarily bear the burden of this responsibility. The purpose of this article is to offer a descriptive account of Facebook's public announcements regarding how it tackles disinformation and fake news. Based on a qualitative content analysis covering the period November 16th 2016–March 4th 2019, this article will set out some groundwork on how to hold social media platforms more accountable for how they handle disinformation.

scholarly journals Sosiaalisen median kommenttien analyysi multimodaalisesta näkökulmasta digitaalisen journalismin ja poliittisen viestinnän tutkimuksessa

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margareta Salonen ◽  
Elisa Kannasto ◽  
Laura Paatelainen
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Political Communication ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Individual Mode ◽  
Digital Journalism ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The One

Societal discussions flow on social media platforms that are studied by researchers in multiple ways and through various kinds of data sets that are extracted from them. In the studies of these discussions, multimodality unravels the semiotic modes that are communication resources through which meanings are socially and culturally created and expressed. In addition, the viewpoint of affordances can be used for viewing the functions of social media platforms and their discussions. Furthermore, this review was conducted to better understand how social media comments are researched from the perspective of multimodality in the context of digital journalism and political communication. A systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis were used as methods. The review discovered that the studies under review were not that high in multimodality and that text as an individual mode was the most common one. Furthermore, Twitter was the most researched platform and the one where the use of modes was more thoroughly explained.

Framing the Global Youth Climate Movement: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Greta Thunberg’s Moral, Hopeful, and Motivational Framing on Instagram

2021 ◽  
pp. 194016122110556
Author(s):  
Amanda L. Molder ◽  
Alexandra Lakind ◽  
Zoe E. Clemmons ◽  
Kaiping Chen
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
First Year ◽  
Unique Case ◽  
Emotional Appeal ◽  
Social Media Platforms

Climate change is a critical global problem that requires immediate action to mitigate its effects. In recent years, youth climate activists have mobilized worldwide protests to demand action, using social media platforms to communicate and broadcast their message. This study examines Greta Thunberg's rise to global prominence through an analysis of her first year and a half of Instagram posts from June 2018 to January 2020, including visual and textual elements. First, we explore how climate change is communicated on social media by youth activists, and then examine these concepts through the unique case of Thunberg’s Instagram. Then, through qualitative content analysis, this study elucidates her communication strategy by applying the concept of framing to unpack how she frames climate change as a moral and ethical issue, uses an emotional appeal of hope, and visually frames motivational collective action to mobilize her audience. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings to explore the complexities of communicating climate change through social media and how Thunberg's activism on Instagram may provide an example for future generations.

The produsing expert consumer: Co-constructing, resisting and accepting health-related claims on social media in response to an infotainment show about food

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (6) ◽  
pp. 602-620 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Declercq ◽  
Stéphan Tulkens ◽  
Sarah Van Leuven
Keyword(s):  
Health Information ◽  
Media Coverage ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Health Behaviours ◽  
Health Claims ◽  
New Information ◽  
Health Expert ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Public Broadcaster ◽  
Therapy Compliance

This article examines the Twitter and Facebook uptake of health messages from an infotainment TV show on food, as broadcasted on Belgium’s Dutch-language public broadcaster. The interest in and amount of health-related media coverage is rising, and this media coverage is an important source of information for laypeople, and impacts their health behaviours and therapy compliance. However, the role of the audience has also changed; consumers of media content increasingly are produsers, and, in the case of health, expert consumers. To explore how current audiences react to health claims, we have conducted a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of Twitter and Facebook reactions to an infotainment show about food and nutrition. We examine (1) to which elements in the show the audience reacts, to gain insight in the traction the nutrition-related content generates and (2) whether audience members are accepting or resisting the health information in the show. Our findings show that the information on health and production elicit the most reactions, and that health information incites a lot of refutation, low acceptance and a lot of suggestions on new information or new angles to complement the show’s information.

scholarly journals Rethinking the India-Bharat Divide vis-à-vis COVID-19: Implications for a Sociolinguistics of Health Communication

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Kumar Mishra ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Health Information ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Diverse Population ◽  
Digital Platforms ◽  
Structural Pluralism

Language plays an important role in the dissemination of critical health information across human societies. Taking a cue from the sociolinguistic nuances of the role of language in society, this study probes the India-Bharat divide in the COVID-19 scenario as a potential hurdle to the sense making practices necessary for successful health communication. By delving into the dichotomous linguistic relationship between India and Bharat, this study contends that in order for this sociolinguistic dichotomy to be resolved and health communication to be effective, it is important that all concerned must be in control of the same code. The study raises questions ranging from challenges for health communication with respect to the linguistically diverse population in the country, access to reliable health information, to the problem of incomprehensibility as a barrier to the availability of proper health information. Through qualitative content analysis of the COVID-19 health information terminology mediated through popular Hindi news channels during the first phase of lockdown in India and the corresponding outcome reports across digital platforms, the study analyses the India-Bharat divide and suggests sociolinguistic strategies that can tacitly turn the structural pluralism into an organic pluralism making heath communication in India smooth and discernible.

Applying topic modelling and qualitative content analysis to identify and characterise ENDS product promotion and sales on Instagram

2021 ◽  
pp. tobaccocontrol-2021-056937
Author(s):  
Neal Shah ◽  
Matthew Nali ◽  
Cortni Bardier ◽  
Jiawei Li ◽  
James Maroulis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Topic Modelling ◽  
Unsupervised Machine Learning ◽  
Machine Learning Approach ◽  
Point Of Purchase ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
Regulatory Scrutiny ◽  
Age Verification

BackgroundIncreased public health and regulatory scrutiny concerning the youth vaping epidemic has led to greater attention to promotion and sales of vaping products on social media platforms.ObjectivesWe used unsupervised machine learning to identify and characterise sale offers of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and associated products on Instagram. We examined types of sellers, geographic ENDS location and use of age verification.MethodsOur methodology was composed of three phases: data collection, topic modelling and content analysis. We used data mining approaches to query hashtags related to ENDS product use among young adults to collect Instagram posts. For topic modelling, we applied an unsupervised machine learning approach to thematically categorise and identify topic clusters associated with selling activity. Content analysis was then used to characterise offers for sale of ENDS products.ResultsFrom 70 725 posts, we identified 3331 engaged in sale of ENDS products. Posts originated from 20 different countries and were roughly split between individual (46.3%) and retail sellers (43.4%), with linked online sellers (8.8%) representing a smaller volume. ENDS products most frequently offered for sale were flavoured e-liquids (53.0%) and vaping devices (20.5%). Online sellers offering flavoured e-liquids were less likely to use age verification at point of purchase (29% vs 64%) compared with other products.ConclusionsInstagram is a global venue for unregulated ENDS sales, including flavoured products, and access to websites lacking age verification. Such posts may violate Instagram’s policies and US federal and state law, necessitating more robust review and enforcement to prevent ENDS uptake and access.

Engagement of Government Social Media on Facebook during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Macao: Content Analysis (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Cheong-Iao Pang ◽  
Qixin Cai ◽  
Wenjing Jiang ◽  
Kin Sun Chan
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Acute Stage ◽  
Chronic Stage ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Entire Duration ◽  
Social Media Platforms

BACKGROUND Government social media is widely used for providing updates to and engaging with the public in the COVID-19 pandemic, and Facebook is one of the popular social media platforms used by governments. However, there is only a scant of research focusing on these two areas. As the global pandemic has been easing in some places, users also react differently on social media to the messages from governments, which prompts more research in the post-pandemic time. OBJECTIVE This study aims to understand how government social media is used and how its engagement changes in different stages throughout the pandemic. Macao is one of the jurisdictions in the world that has suppressed the transmissions of COVID-19. The case study of Macao can also provide insights for the recovery period after the pandemic. METHODS Posts from the Facebook pages owned by the Macao Government were analyzed. Data were grouped into the prodromal, acute and chronic stages using Fink’s crisis management model, and qualitative content analysis was used to classify data into categories. The average values of the engagement (i.e., the numbers of emotions, comments and shares) were compared. RESULTS 1,664 posts from January 1st, 2020 to October 31st, 2020 were analyzed. The engagement was relatively low at the beginning and then surged in the acute stage, with a decreasing trend in the chronic stage. Information about latest updates, press conferences, community resilience and appreciation could maintain their engagement in the entire duration. Posts for controlling rumors attracted positive engagement and a high number of shares. The focuses of the public changed throughout the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS Government social media should be used with different focuses in different stages of the pandemic, for example, increasing vigilance and awareness in the prodromal stage, disseminating updates and seeking feedback in the acute stage, and focusing on mental health support and recovery policies in the chronic stage. Additionally, government social media can be an effective tool for controlling rumors, providing updates and fostering community engagement in massive public health crises.

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