The forms and sources of misinformation on twitter: a case study of Uganda Ministry of Health COVID-19 risk communication and vaccination intervention

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by an infodemic of misinformation that posed a serious public health problem. This study, I set out to examine the forms and sources of misinformation on Twitter. The study focused on the MoH’s COVID-19 risk communication and vaccination intervention in Uganda as a case study. It adopted a qualitative research approach and employed content analysis and in-depth interviews as data collection methods. Using the media systems dependency theory, the study different uncovered forms and sources of misinformation on Twitter and examined how risk communication practitioners engaged with misinformation during the Ministry of Health (MoH) COVID-19 risk communication and vaccination intervention. Findings indicate that the forms of misinformation were categorised under four themes – misleading content, malinformation, fabricated content, and conspiracy theories. The sources of misinformation were the politicians, public figures and citizens as well as traditional media (newspapers television, and radio) and online platforms, such as news websites and social media. Findings revealed that Twitter was a source of misinformation during Uganda’s MoH COVID-19 response and vaccination. For this reason, this study indicated that factual information was shared from verified twitter accounts with blue ticks. Misinformation was shared through fabricated and forged twitter accounts. Health professionals countered this misinformation through the listening and evidence generation sub-committees at MoH, sensitization, health education, and provision of real-time information. Communication professionals engaged with misinformation by presenting facts, engagement with the media, and the President and Minister’s addresses and speeches. The study recommends that the MoH should focus on misinformation circulating on social media during outbreaks of diseases, such as COVID-19. It further recommends in the need for health professionals to take the lead in education and public sensitisation, as well as responding to issues that come from the communities.