The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa
Objective Digital technologies present both an opportunity and a threat for advancing public health. At a time of pandemic, social media has become a tool for the rapid spread of misinformation. Mitigating the impacts of misinformation is particularly acute across Africa, where WhatsApp and other fo...
| Autores principales: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Journal Article |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| Publicado: |
SAGE Publications
2022
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/164096 |
| _version_ | 1855542311295909888 |
|---|---|
| author | Stewart, Ruth Madonsela, Andile Tshabalala, Nkululeko Etale, Linda Theunissen, Nicola |
| author_browse | Etale, Linda Madonsela, Andile Stewart, Ruth Theunissen, Nicola Tshabalala, Nkululeko |
| author_facet | Stewart, Ruth Madonsela, Andile Tshabalala, Nkululeko Etale, Linda Theunissen, Nicola |
| author_sort | Stewart, Ruth |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Objective Digital technologies present both an opportunity and a threat for advancing public health. At a time of pandemic, social media has become a tool for the rapid spread of misinformation. Mitigating the impacts of misinformation is particularly acute across Africa, where WhatsApp and other forms of social media dominate, and where the dual threats of misinformation and COVID-19 threaten lives and livelihoods. Given the scale of the problem within Africa, we set out to understand (i) the potential harm that misinformation causes, (ii) the available evidence on how to mitigate that misinformation and (iii) how user responses to misinformation shape the potential for those mitigating strategies to reduce the risk of harm. Methods We undertook a multi-method study, combining a rapid review of the research evidence with a survey of WhatsApp users across Africa. Results We identified 87 studies for inclusion in our review and had 286 survey respondents from 17 African countries. Our findings show the considerable harms caused by public health misinformation in Africa and the lack of evidence for or against strategies to mitigate against such harms. Furthermore, they highlight how social media users’ responses to public health misinformation can mitigate and exacerbate potential harms. Understanding the ways in which social media users respond to misinformation sheds light on potential mitigation strategies. Conclusions Public health practitioners who utilise digital health approaches must not underestimate the importance of considering the role of social media in the circulation of misinformation, nor of the responses of social media users in shaping attempts to mitigate against the harms of such misinformation. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace164096 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publishDateRange | 2022 |
| publishDateSort | 2022 |
| publisher | SAGE Publications |
| publisherStr | SAGE Publications |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1640962024-12-22T05:45:03Z The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa Stewart, Ruth Madonsela, Andile Tshabalala, Nkululeko Etale, Linda Theunissen, Nicola health information management computer science applications health informatics health policy Objective Digital technologies present both an opportunity and a threat for advancing public health. At a time of pandemic, social media has become a tool for the rapid spread of misinformation. Mitigating the impacts of misinformation is particularly acute across Africa, where WhatsApp and other forms of social media dominate, and where the dual threats of misinformation and COVID-19 threaten lives and livelihoods. Given the scale of the problem within Africa, we set out to understand (i) the potential harm that misinformation causes, (ii) the available evidence on how to mitigate that misinformation and (iii) how user responses to misinformation shape the potential for those mitigating strategies to reduce the risk of harm. Methods We undertook a multi-method study, combining a rapid review of the research evidence with a survey of WhatsApp users across Africa. Results We identified 87 studies for inclusion in our review and had 286 survey respondents from 17 African countries. Our findings show the considerable harms caused by public health misinformation in Africa and the lack of evidence for or against strategies to mitigate against such harms. Furthermore, they highlight how social media users’ responses to public health misinformation can mitigate and exacerbate potential harms. Understanding the ways in which social media users respond to misinformation sheds light on potential mitigation strategies. Conclusions Public health practitioners who utilise digital health approaches must not underestimate the importance of considering the role of social media in the circulation of misinformation, nor of the responses of social media users in shaping attempts to mitigate against the harms of such misinformation. 2022-01 2024-12-19T12:53:28Z 2024-12-19T12:53:28Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/164096 en Open Access SAGE Publications Stewart, Ruth; Madonsela, Andile; Tshabalala, Nkululeko; Etale, Linda and Theunissen, Nicola. 2022. The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa. DIGITAL HEALTH, Volume 8 p. 205520762210850 |
| spellingShingle | health information management computer science applications health informatics health policy Stewart, Ruth Madonsela, Andile Tshabalala, Nkululeko Etale, Linda Theunissen, Nicola The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa |
| title | The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa |
| title_full | The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa |
| title_fullStr | The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa |
| title_short | The importance of social media users' responses in tackling digital COVID-19 misinformation in Africa |
| title_sort | importance of social media users responses in tackling digital covid 19 misinformation in africa |
| topic | health information management computer science applications health informatics health policy |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/164096 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT stewartruth theimportanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT madonselaandile theimportanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT tshabalalankululeko theimportanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT etalelinda theimportanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT theunissennicola theimportanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT stewartruth importanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT madonselaandile importanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT tshabalalankululeko importanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT etalelinda importanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica AT theunissennicola importanceofsocialmediausersresponsesintacklingdigitalcovid19misinformationinafrica |