Capella University
NURS-FPX6203: Theory Development in Nursing
Professor Name
October 2024
Media and Internet: Accurate vs. Inaccurate Information
The use of media and specifically the internet in coveting perceptions of global health crises was especially felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. With people from all over the world expecting timely updates, the need for information has become ever increasingly important. However useful the internet and media were in providing new information briefings and analyses, the two also became forums for misinformation and disinformation (Aiello et al., 2020). Such accurate and inaccurate beliefs make real-life impacts due to the change in public behavior, trust in health authorities, and the outcome of pandemic control measures. Knowledge of what makes a statement true or fake was important given that COVID-19 came with so many unknowns.
The Role of Media in Information Dissemination During COVID-19
While responding to COVID-19, mainstream media (TV, newspapers, radio, and Internet-based media such as social media, and online news sources) played an important role in educating the public (Laughter et al., 2023). People received information on how the virus was spread, the symptoms, and ways of prevention which ensured many people had information on the severity of the virus and how to protect themselves. However, some of the media sources deepened fear by reporting extra-focused incidents or by displaying raw statistics which produced panic or skepticism among the public (Laughter et al., 2023). For example, failures of reports indicating high mortality rates were accompanied by insufficient information about the age groups or the pre-existing physical conditions of the victims that would provoke the public.
The Internet as a Double-Edged Sword for Information
The free format of the Internet facilitated an influx and outflux of information concerning COVID-19; from empirical research and literature to individual experiences (Brand et al., 2022). This accessibility enabled the producers of knowledge, which are the scientists and the health officials, to disseminate speedy messages and findings, among them new variants and vaccine effectiveness. But it was also tied to uncontrolled sources which became an issue since people, groups, and influencers sometimes give wrong or fake information (Topf et al., 2021). For instance, some social media influencers shared fake cures or twisted information about the vaccines, thus creating unnecessary doubt in the minds of the people. The mobilisation of the internet as a means of COVID-19 communication therefore inaugurated both possibilities and problems.
Factors Contributing to Inaccurate Information
Sources of misinformation about COVID-19 included the following. It was, therefore, characterized by biased information, misinformation, and disinformation. For instance, political or ideological affiliation many a time shaped the approaches to the COVID-19 reactions and guidelines in socially divided areas and hence the levels of confidence in the recommendations given by health facilities (Glasdam et al., 2022). Half-baked information was shared willingly because everyone believed that they were forwarding the likeliness truths from well-known channels. At the same time, misinformation was used intentionally, usually in the form of conspiracy theories or fake news like changing DNA due to COVID-19 vaccines (Madziva et al., 2022). These factors produced confusion and occasionally resulted in the abandonment of effective measures of health protection.
Strategies for Identifying Accurate Information
It was crucial to ascertain trustworthy information during COVID-19 for people to make safe decisions. Rechecking crosschecking, and searching for reliable news sources such as WHO or CDC were some of our strategies (Bao et al., 20220). For example, when receiving information about novel treatments or a change in strict health protocols, it was very important to first check if it was approved by any official healthcare organization. Another important part was media literacy as it allowed people to be aware of the main manipulations, for example, provocative headlines, or lack of sources cited.
The Consequences of Inaccurate Information
Based on the research, misinformation had serious implications in the COVID-19 crisis. It was dangerous when individuals could treat themselves with COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine sulfate since the information about the treatment of the coronavirus was incorrect (Terry et al., 2023). Like with the side effects of vaccines, misinformation around the COVID-19 pandemic created hesitancy to take vaccines which stalled immunization and hampered disease control interventions. Apart from concerns with health, false and fake information undermined public trust posing a problem to health officials as they tried to direct the public. The effects provided significant examples of the role of information in public health and social order.
BIO FPX 1000 Assessment 7 Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic was an extreme example of how differential veracity is imperative when the primary sources of our information and knowledge are the media and the internet. In some way, the society and media themselves also have the liability to have accurate information or pass appropriate information (Swire & Lazer, 2020). There is a need for media literacy, which means that people should be able to distinguish what is true and what is false, and obstruction to third parties when it comes to health issues will enable individuals to deal with similar situations in the future. A passion for truth is important for not just personal health, but for a community’s health and the public faith in its institutions, as demonstrated by crises like a pandemic.
BIO FPX 1000 Assessment 7 References
Aiello, A. E., Renson, A., & Zivich, P. N. (2020). Social media- and internet-based disease surveillance for public health. Annual Review of Public Health, 41, 101–118. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094402
Bao, H., Cao, B., Xiong, Y., & Tang, W. (2020). Digital media’s role in the COVID-19 pandemic. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 8(9), e20156. https://doi.org/10.2196/20156
Brand, J. C., Rossi, M. J., & Lubowitz, J. H. (2022). Internet and social media contribute to medical research journal growth. Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery: official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association, 38(7), 2111–2114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arthro.2022.04.017
Glasdam, S., Sandberg, H., Stjernswärd, S., Jacobsen, F. F., Grønning, A. H., & Hybholt, L. (2022). Nurses’ use of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic scoping review. PloS One, 17(2), e0263502. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0263502
Laughter, M. R., Anderson, J. B., Maymone, M. B. C., & Kroumpouzos, G. (2023). Psychology of aesthetics: Beauty, social media, and body dysmorphic disorder. Clinics in Dermatology, 41(1), 28–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clindermatol.2023.03.002
Madziva, R., Nachipo, B., Musuka, G., Chitungo, I., Murewanhema, G., Phiri, B., & Dzinamarira, T. (2022). The role of social media during the COVID-19 pandemic: Salvaging its ‘power’ for positive social behavior change in Africa. Health Promotion Perspectives, 12(1), 22–27. https://doi.org/10.34172/hpp.2022.03
Swire, B., & Lazer, D. (2020). Public health and online misinformation: challenges and recommendations. Annual Review of Public Health, 41, 433–451. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094127
Terry, K., Yang, F., Yao, Q., & Liu, C. (2023). The role of social media in public health crises caused by infectious disease: a scoping review. BMJ Global Health, 8(12), e013515. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2023-013515
Topf, J. M., & Williams, P. N. (2021). COVID-19, Social Media, and the Role of the Public Physician. Blood Purification, 50(4-5), 595–601. https://doi.org/10.1159/000512707
