The impact of COVID-19 on people’s health is frequently discussed on social media, provoking such adverse outcomes as infodemia and misinformation. Today, people get an opportunity to state connected more than ever and quickly share information from different parts of the world (O’Brien et al., 2020). Despite the intention to benefit from technological progress and the Internet, millions of people cannot control the amount and quality of information online. As a result, they make themselves dependent on everything cyberspace offers. One of the main disadvantages of social media use during the pandemic is infodemia. People are challenged to find, use, and choose between trustworthy sources (O’Brien et al., 2020). In addition, the coronavirus infodemic increases public confusion, which causes panic and fear (Ali & Kurasawa, 2020). People are not able to cope with such information, exposing themselves to additional risks and emotional traumas.
Another disadvantage is the spread of misinformation via social media. Due to their poor awareness, millions of people want to find information about the coronavirus and recommendations to manage it properly. O’Brien et al. (2020) admit that Facebook is full of misinformation about medications without medical approval. Ali and Kurasawa (2020) mention that some people still believe that COVID-19 is a part of a biological war against China. At this moment, it is impossible to give clear and definite explanations of the virus expansion. Therefore, society must be careful with the risks of misinformation and infodemia connected to the pandemic on social media.
Opinion
At the same time, it is wrong to believe that social media is associated with negative experiences only, and such benefits as real-life examples and safe statistics cannot be ignored. In their study, Ali and Kurasawa (2020) point out that pandemics need coordinated and thoughtful response strategies. Therefore, as soon as people start sharing their experiences and observations, it will be easier for organizations to gather information and develop new solutions. Social media services are usually free, and it does not require much time to log in and create an informative post with photos.
Another advantage of using social media during a pandemic is access to statistical data under safe conditions. There is no need to go outside and be exposed to another virus. It is enough to use a personal device (a smartphone or a computer) and see the current changes in society. The World Health Organization recommends minimizing the exposure to COVID-19 information once or twice per day (O’Brien et al., 2020). People always want to know as much as possible to protect their families, friends, and themselves. Social media services connect millions of individuals worldwide, and such statistics show that the coronavirus is a global problem that cannot be solved yet.
References
Ali, S. H., & Kurasawa, F. (2020). COVID-19: Social media both a blessing and a curse during coronavirus pandemic. The Conversation. Web.
O’Brien, M., Moore, K., & McNicholas, F. (2020). Social media spread during COVID-19: The pros and cons of likes and shares. Irish Medical Journal, 113(4), 52-54.