The rise of the anti vaccination propaganda is hurting our chances to control this pandemic.
Against Vaccination
When the COVID-19 vaccines began to roll out across the globe, several anti-vaxxers began spreading the anti-vaccine propaganda, and they are currently engaged in spreading malicious misinformation about vaccines in general. Even though getting vaccinated is not compulsory, it is necessary to curb the spread of the infection. But the misinformation about vaccines, stops people from getting vaccinated.
A couple of weeks back, a conspiracy theory was making rounds on social platforms saying that there are microchips in COVID-19 vaccines, which are being used to collect biometric data. There was also an English language video, which said that if you take the vaccine, it will make you magnetic. In Malaysia, misinformation ranging from increased risks to life and body organs to genetic alteration are spreading on WhatsApp.
Celebrities influence people’s decision to get vaccinated as well, and some celebrities are openly against vaccination. On December, Letitia Wright, the Black Panther star, posted an anti-vaccination video on Twitter. Apart from her, several others, including former U.S President Donald Trump, are also against vaccination. A new research published in PLOS One indicated the Trump was one of the key nodes in the anti-vaccination network.
Vaccine Not Needed
The question here is what are the consequences of the spread of misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines? Well, an article by Bloomberg said that misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines is spreading like wildfire in Asia, putting the lives of millions at risk. According to polling company Social Weather Stations, in the Philippines, 68% of people are either uncertain or unwilling to take the vaccine.
According to the Suan Dusit Poll, a third of Thais have doubts or refuse to take a Covid shot. Apart from this, a separate survey in Indonesia showed nearly a fifth of the population were vaccine hesitant. Because of all this misinformation, less than 10% of the population in Thailand and the Philippines have received even one shot, writes Bloomberg.
Tackling Misinformation
Researchers are launching projects to track and tag vaccine misinformation and disinformation on social media. One research consortium called the Virality Project is expanding on strategies pioneered during the election to help inform how platforms like Twitter and Facebook deal with vaccine disinformation.
The CEO of Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) said in a report, mentioned in PR Newswire “…In the midst of a global pandemic, the Anti-Vaccine Industry has executed a targeted campaign to mislead Americans about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. Social media is enabling anti-vaxxers to recruit millions of Americans and indoctrinate them with fear and doubt. If Big Tech companies don’t act now, the pandemic will be prolonged, and more lives will be lost.”
Recent reports show that the misinformation is targeting not only Americans, but everyone around the world in order to mislead them and prevent them from getting their Covid shots. This could potentially harm everyone, and stop us from winning this battle against COVID-19. So, the next time you come across a social media post that contains false information about vaccines, make sure you report it to stop the spread of misinformation.
