The hot-person vaccine

‘The internet has decided that Pfizer is significantly cooler than Moderna—but why?...

‘Large differences in access aren’t limited to certain brands, and some degree of “us versus them” applies across all of the available shots. White Americans continue to have higher vaccination rates than Black and Hispanic Americans, for example. And according to a vaccine-equity project run out of Duke University’s Global Health Innovation Center, high-income countries have already purchased more than half of the world’s available vaccine doses.

‘Seen in that context, ironic Pfizer elitism may feel uncomfortably close to actual elitism. Another vaccine-culture TikTok that went viral paired each brand with its equivalent cellphone—the iPhone for Pfizer, a recent-looking Android model for Moderna, an early 2010s pay-as-you-go Firefly phone for Johnson & Johnson, and a truly ancient Nokia for AstraZeneca. The video compared the slim but tangible differences between Pfizer and Moderna to the silly, perennial debate over whether iPhone users are snobby and judgmental toward people whose texts show up as “green bubbles.” For some commenters, this was a step too far. “Classism is disgusting,” one responded. “Not westerners fighting over which vaccine is best,” another wrote with a sobbing emoji.’

Read here (The Atlantic, Apr 30, 2021)

Social media influencers are spreading wild rumours about Covid-19 vaccines and periods

‘It will be an uphill battle to quell the rumours that have already spread...

‘Over the last few days, social media accounts from those opposed to vaccines have begun to promote the outlandish idea that simply being around people who have been vaccinated causes menstrual issues and even miscarriage. The first, as far as I can tell, was Kim Alberts, a self-described “health and medical freedom” enthusiast who runs an Instagram account with more than 64,000 followers. Albert’s previous posts read like a greatest hits list of health misinformation and conspiracy theories: She warns of the dangers of chemtrails and extols the virtues of coffee enemas. In recent posts, Albert has shared anecdotes supposedly submitted by thousands of her followers who have “caught” cycle changes from vaccinated people.’

Read here (Mother Jones, Apr 20, 2021)

The pandemic’s wrongest man [in the US]

‘In this crowded field of wrongness, one voice stands out. The voice of Alex Berenson: the former New York Times reporter, Yale-educated novelist, avid tweeter, online essayist, and all-around pandemic gadfly. Berenson has been serving up COVID-19 hot takes for the past year, blithely predicting that the United States would not reach 500,000 deaths (we’ve surpassed 550,000) and arguing that cloth and surgical masks can’t protect against the coronavirus (yes, they can).

‘Berenson has a big megaphone. He has more than 200,000 followers on Twitter and millions of viewers for his frequent appearances on Fox News’ most-watched shows. On Laura Ingraham’s show, he downplayed the vaccines, suggesting that Israel’s experience proved they were considerably less effective than initially claimed. On Tucker Carlson Tonight, he predicted that the vaccines would cause an uptick in cases of COVID-related illness and death in the U.S...’

Read here (The Atlantic, Apr 1, 2021)

How many anti-vaxxers does it take to misinform the world? Just twelve

‘A majority of anti-vaccine propaganda can apparently be traced back to a handful of people. While de-platforming them is sometimes appropriate, there is a bigger, better solution...

‘Misinformation is never going to go away; it isn’t just a Big Tech problem, it’s an education problem. Instead of just yelling at tech companies, politicians should be focusing on what Taiwan’s digital minister calls “nerd immunity” – the government should be investing in education so people have the skills to identify fake news...

‘Finland, which was rated Europe’s most resistant nation to fake news last year, is one model of how you do this. In 2014, after an increase in disinformation from Russia, the government embedded media literacy in the national curriculum. Starting in primary school, kids learn the critical thinking skills needed to parse the modern information ecosystem. Students learn how easy it is to manipulate statistics in their maths lessons, for example. They learn how to distinguish satire from conspiracy theories in their Finnish lessons. They look at how images can be used for propaganda in art class. And this sort of education isn’t just given to children: Finnish civil servants, journalists and NGO workers are also trained in digital literacy skills.’

Read here (The Guardian, Mar 30, 2021)

These moms work as doctors and scientists. But they've also taken on another job: Fighting Covid-19 misinformation online

‘While experts throughout the U.S. are trying to tackle misinformation and persuade Americans to get their shots when they become eligible, these doctor-scientist moms believe they are uniquely positioned to make the case. Not only do they have the expertise to answer medical questions and clear up misperceptions, but they can relate to the people they encounter on social media as fellow parents who also want what’s best for their families and communities. They film video Q&As and explain how the safety standards were met in the development of currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines. They interview one another to reach a wider audience through Instagram and YouTube. They warn each other about strategies that trolls may use to drag them into arguments.’

Read here (Time magazine, Mar 24, 2021)

Mark Zuckerberg announces Facebook's plans to help get people vaccinated against Covid-19

‘Today we're launching a global campaign to help bring 50 million people a step closer to getting Covid-19 vaccines. 

‘We've already connected over 2 billion people to authoritative Covid-19 information. Now that many countries are moving towards vaccinations for all adults, we're working on tools to make it easier for everyone to get vaccinated as well. 

‘First, we're launching a tool that shows you when and where you can get vaccinated and gives you a link to make an appointment. This will be in the Covid Information Center, which we'll show people right in their News Feed. We've already seen people use Facebook to find vaccination appointments, so this should enable millions more people to do the same.

‘Second, we're bringing the Covid Information Center to Instagram, and we'll show it to people prominently there too. 

‘Third, we're working with health authorities and governments to expand their WhatsApp chatbots to help people register for vaccines. More than 3 billion messages related to Covid have already been sent by governments, non-profits and international organizations to citizens through official WhatsApp chatbots, so this update will help with the vaccination effort as well.’

Read here (Facebook, Mar 15, 2020)

Defying rules, anti-vaccine accounts thrive on social media

‘Efforts to crack down on vaccine misinformation now, though, are generating cries of censorship and prompting some posters to adopt sneaky tactics to avoid the axe. “It’s a hard situation because we have let this go for so long,” said Jeanine Guidry, an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who studies social media and health information. “People using social media have really been able to share what they want for nearly a decade.”

‘The Associated Press identified more than a dozen Facebook pages and Instagram accounts, collectively boasting millions of followers, that have made false claims about the COVID-19 vaccine or discouraged people from taking it. Some of these pages have existed for years. Of more than 15 pages identified by NewsGuard, a technology company that analyzes the credibility of websites, roughly half remain active on Facebook, the AP found.’

Read here (APNews, Mar 12, 2021)

Trump’s false posts were treated with kid gloves by Facebook

‘In August, as the election approached and misinformation about COVID-19 spread, Facebook announced it would give new fact-checking labels to posts, including more nuanced options than simply “false.” But data from The Markup’s Citizen Browser project, which tracks a nationwide panel of Facebook users’ feeds, shows how unevenly those labels were applied: Posts were rarely called “false,” even when they contained debunked conspiracy theories. And posts by Donald Trump were treated with the less direct flags, even when they contained lies. The Markup shared the underlying data for this story with Facebook.’

Read here (The Markup,  Feb 16, 2021)

Covid-19 a ‘perfect storm’ for organ trafficking victims

‘Fewer transplants means a huge unmet demand for organs... Rising inequality pushing disadvantaged to take desperate measures... Social media facilitates trade’

Read here (SciDev, Nov 5, 2020)

How a bizarre claim about masks has lived on for months

‘The “masks make you sicker” idea underscores how online misinformation is like an ocean liner: Once it’s headed in one direction, it’s difficult to turn around. The advice on masks changed seven months ago, but some people have stuck with what experts were saying in the confusing early days. One doctor’s criticisms of masks—which he now recants—live on in Twitter threads. And as people find new ways to share incorrect information, through posts, photos, and videos, social-media platforms are struggling to catch and remove all the hokum. Before long, the conspiracy theories break free of Facebook and infect reality.’

Read here (The Atlantic, Oct 9, 2020)

False and misleading claims about vaccines debunked

‘In the week that Oxford University announced promising results from its coronavirus vaccine trial, we're looking at claims on social media about vaccines and misleading statements about their safety.

‘The anti-vaccination movement has gained traction online in recent years, and campaigners opposed to vaccination have moved their focus to making claims relating to the coronavirus.’

Read here (BBC, July 26, 2020)

Persuasive words are not enough

‘The scientific community is losing the battle against this digital leviathan of misinformation. A well-reasoned and highly placed op-ed on this topic is not going to move the needle, no matter how well it is crafted to adhere to the best practices in science communication. Neither is a perfect trade book, television appearance, or speaking tour by a scientific leader. The only way to win this fight is to harness the same sophisticated tools in the name of science that are being used to tear science down.’

Read here (Science Magazine, June 26, 2020)

Chinese tech firms pledge more help for street stalls, small vendors after Premier’s comments

Key points: Premier Li Keqiang says the Chinese government will provide more support for street stalls and small businesses as they are the “fire” of China’s economy. Tech platforms like WeChat and JD.com responded to Li’s comments by announcing new initiatives to help smaller retailers.

Read here (South China Morning Post, June 4, 2020)

Social media firms fail to act on Covid-19 fake news

‘Hundreds of posts spreading misinformation about Covid-19 are being left online, according to a report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate. Some 649 posts were reported to Facebook and Twitter, including false cures, anti-vaccination propaganda and conspiracy theories around 5G. 90% remained visible online afterwards without any warnings attached, the report suggests.’

Read here (BBC, June 4, 2020)

A wave of radicalised influencers is mainstreaming Covid-19 conspiracy theories

‘A growing group of Instagram models, influencers and so-called mommy bloggers have outed themselves as coronavirus skeptics or deniers. Akin to celebrities in the eyes of their audiences — with whom they’ve built up trust over time through streams of intimate, relatable content — these women are uniquely well-positioned to open people’s minds to dubious and false information. It’s a sobering sign of far-right ideologies creeping in from the fringes of social media amid a colossal “infodemic” that’s causing real-life harm.’

Read here (Huffington Post, May 19, 2020)

Would you report people who break the rules?

‘Outside of official hotlines - thousands have also engaged in online shaming forums. The largest Singaporean "Covidiot" group on Facebook has over 26,000 members. It's littered with grainy pictures of alleged breaches - usually taken from some distance - the safety of one's apartment balcony.’

Read here (BBC, May 7, 2020)

A toxic ‘infodemic’: The viral spread of COVID-19 conspiracy theories

‘Like other businesses impacted by the crisis, social media companies’ daily operations have also been upended by social distancing protocols. With content reviewers working from home, platforms are relying far more heavily on artificial intelligence technologies to flag and remove problematic content, which has already resulted in a wave of erroneous enforcement actions.

‘Another part of the problem seems to be a lack of high-level coordination, said Wardle, as certain virus-related posts have been banned on some platforms but permitted on others. “It’s a whack-a-mole approach,” she said, “and it’s nowhere near enough”.’

Read here (Huffington Post, April 8, 2020)

Covering a pandemic: Ian Bremmer explores the media's handling of the coronavirus pandemic

‘In this week’s episode, Ian Bremmer explores the media's handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and President Trump’s treatment of journalists. With guest Ben Smith, media columnist at The New York Times and former head of Buzzfeed News, the show looks at global coverage of COVID-19, including misinformation campaigns and social media’s role in society today. Later in the program, meet Danny Rogers of The Global Disinformation Index. His group is working hard to find harmful or misleading information online and alert major publishers and tech platforms.’

View here: (GZeroMedia, Youtube, April 6, 2020)