Contents
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the network, both Polish and foreign, was full of fake news aimed at disinformation. Due to such publications, a large part of the society doubted science or decided to take dangerous actions – including “Killing” the virus with deadly alcohol.
- Fake news is on the Internet all the time, but the pandemic has brought it to a real boom
- Conspiracy theories and duplicated false information concerned not only SARS-CoV-2 itself, but also, for example, monkey pox, swine flu or refugees from Ukraine
- Some fake news was intended to make money by the people who created it
- Online disinformation continues to do well
- More current information can be found on the Onet homepage.
The Scientific and Academic Computer Network, asked by PAP about disinformation in the area of health, explained that it was during the pandemic that the Institute noted a significant increase in harmful content. Moreover, a group of accounts has crystallized, which is also active in other topics where we observe the phenomenon of disinformation (e.g. monkey pox, the war between Our Country and Ukraine).
“The pandemic allowed for the verification of the effectiveness of specific methods of creating and applying harmful content” – emphasized NASK.
The official EU definition of disinformation was developed by a team of experts from EU member states under the supervision of prof. Madeleine de Cock Buning from the University of Utrecht. Its task was to describe and systematize the phenomenon, as well as to present recommendations for EU institutions that will deal with combating disinformation. By definition, disinformation is “false, inaccurate or misleading information created, presented and disseminated for profit or willfully cause public harm”.
Although the spread of so-called fake news is not a new phenomenon, it has definitely intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic.
«According to the analyzed research material, in January the content related to the effectiveness of vaccines was recorded the most. The subject of resignation from restrictions in England was discussed the least frequently. February saw an intensification of discourse related to the vaccination program. In March, the topic of sanitary policy and sanitary segregation was most often discussed. In April, on the other hand, the topic of the effects of the pandemic dominated. At that time, the most content summarizing the coronavirus period was recorded, which was associated with the announcement of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic »- NASK reported.
This kind of misinformation is the worst. Others are aimed at, among others earnings
Heidi Larson, Director of The Vaccine Confidence Project at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, described the levels of network misinformation regarding vaccines.
The first level is the so-called “lack of confidence in science”, that is, the most harmful attitude. It is where medical professionals fuel exaggerated or unfounded fears about vaccines. Another group are people who, by spreading anti-vaccine opinions, find a way to earn money, e.g. by selling books, services or other products. The third category of disinformation includes people who see a political opportunity in spreading anti-vaccine theories aimed at polarizing society. The last category are the so-called super-answerers directing disinformation through social media to like-minded people also questioning vaccinations.
NASK experts dealing with the analysis of disinformation in the period from January to March 2022 analyzed 1014 negative entries that dealt with the broadly understood COVID-19 pandemic. The analyzed threads included only Polish publications in social media that contain dangerous or harmful content.
During these three months, the highest number of entries related to vaccination effectiveness (273), sanitary segregation (224) and sanitary policy (174). Other fake news topics included the booster dose (119), vaccination program (87), vaccine type (72), and data safety (58).
Seven entries were related to the resignation from restrictions in England.
Researchers from the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene in the pages of “The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygien” noted that only in the first months of the pandemic, from December 31, 2019 to April 5, 2020, 2 people were identified. 311 reports related to COVID-19 infody in 25 languages from 87 countries. Of these, 2 thousand. 049 (89%) were classified as rumors, 182 (7,2%) as conspiracy theories, and 82 (3,5%) as stigmatization and discrimination. As they noted, 5 thousand 876 people around the world have been admitted to hospitals as a result of misinformation that high alcohol consumption can decontaminate the body and kill the virus. More than 800 people died from drinking methanol or other alcohol-based disinfectants, and 60 people developed complete blindness after consuming it.
«The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced both the quantity and intensity of disinformation messages (false narratives) appearing in the information space – both in Poland and globally. In the infosphere, especially in social media, many accounts (including fake ones) and groups were created, which – knowingly or not – spreading disinformation regarding – in this case – issues related to SARS-CoV and / or closely related »- he told PAP Damian Duda, Head of the Information Policy Department of the Government Center for Security.
The Government Center for Security, within its competences, monitors the information space, including in terms of disinformation. This applies, as Duda reported, to all areas related to state security, including the area of health. «Monitoring the information space is designed to draw attention to emerging threats, as well as to predict them. There is no data collection nature »- he stressed.
Research on health disinformation is also carried out in the Polish backyard. According to the report entitled “Disinformation through the eyes of Poles” developed by the foundation Digital Poland, as much as 44 percent. respondents found at least one fake news to be true.
13 percent Poles still believe that COVID-19 was caused by 5G technology
When you look at individual popular fake news, the most – 63 percent. Poles indicated that they agreed with the statement that producers hide information about harmful ingredients in food additives. 57 percent agreed that genetically modified plants are unhealthy for humans. 30 percent indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic had been pre-planned, and 28 percent. indicated that breastfeeding eliminates the risk of cancer in women. 13 percent each positive responses were found that vaccines cause autism, and SARS, swine flu or COVID-19 are a consequence of the launch of 3G, 4G and 5G technologies.
According to NASK, in the period from May to June, a significant decrease in interest in the subject of the coronavirus was noticed.
«In July and August, disinformation entries were recorded again. The most common theme is the ineffectiveness of vaccination and the suggestion that the pandemic is a sham. Conspiracy theories and fostering negative moods in society often appear. There is again a noticeable increase in the content of graphs showing a high percentage of deaths among unvaccinated people – however, what is worrying is the lack of a reliable source on the graph (…). In addition, the topic of the coronavirus is related to the refugee situation – it is now indicated that the war in Ukraine saved citizens from compulsory vaccinations »- emphasized NASK.
Currently, according to NASK data, the main threads related to health safety in which we observe disinformation are COVID-19 (mainly ineffectiveness or harmfulness of vaccinations), monkey pox, the alleged lack of drugs in Polish hospitals and the preferential treatment of foreigners in health care facilities.
Disinformation, especially in the area of health security, has negative effects. Fake news may cause information chaos, social anxiety, discredit the indicated people or products, affect the health and safety of an individual or a larger group, or even lead to real actions with tragic consequences. (PAP)
Author: Aleksandra Kiełczykowska
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