The Intersection of Scientific Misinformation on Social Media and the COVID-19 Pandemic and 2022 Monkeypox Outbreak

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dc.contributor.advisorPeters, Cheryl
dc.contributor.advisorBrenner, Darren
dc.contributor.authorDalton, Maria Elizabeth
dc.contributor.committeememberYang, Lin
dc.contributor.committeememberRainham, Daniel
dc.date2023-06
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-02T16:37:24Z
dc.date.available2023-05-02T16:37:24Z
dc.date.issued2023-04-28
dc.description.abstractThe propagation, and rapid increase of misinformation online, resulted in the World Health Organization declaring an “infodemic” in 2020. The 2022 monkeypox outbreak, alongside the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, resulted in new discussions surrounding the current misinformation outbreak online – primarily on social media. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the presence of misinformation online, and the direct impacts misinformation can have on action, for example, racially motivated attacks and profiling, and the burning of 5G towers in Europe. Beginning in May of 2022, the monkeypox outbreak was initially reported as a cluster of cases in the United Kingdom following travel to the African continent whereby the spread of misinformation surrounding the disease followed, with dialogues focused on men who have sex with men. A thematic analysis of Instagram posts under #monkeypox and #justsayno was conducted to critically evaluate the dominant themes present on social media related to both the COVID-19 pandemic, and 2022 Monkeypox outbreak. While posts related to COVID-19 were more likely to be flagged as misinformation, posts related to the monkeypox outbreak were typically classified as anti-misinformation or factual, perhaps signifying a shift, and algorithmic changes, in the way Instagram flags information shared on the platform. By increasing our awareness of misinformation spread, we can work to develop strategies to curb its spread and quantify areas for improvement related to social media algorithms.
dc.identifier.citationDalton, M. E. (2023). The intersection of scientific misinformation on social media and the COVID-19 pandemic and 2022 Monkeypox outbreak (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/116143
dc.identifier.urihttps://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/dspace/40988
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgary
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectmisinformation
dc.subjectinfodemic
dc.subjectsocial media
dc.subjectCOVID-19
dc.subjectmonkeypox
dc.subjectscientific misinformation
dc.subject.classificationPublic Health
dc.subject.classificationInformation Science
dc.titleThe Intersection of Scientific Misinformation on Social Media and the COVID-19 Pandemic and 2022 Monkeypox Outbreak
dc.typemaster thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineMedicine – Community Health Sciences
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.thesis.accesssetbystudentI require a thesis withhold – I need to delay the release of my thesis due to a patent application, and other reasons outlined in the link above. I have/will need to submit a thesis withhold application.
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