The Role of Social Media Platforms and Access to Health-Related Information in India During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Social Media Platforms are not just for networking but have now become an important source of information to the general public. During COVID- 19, it was seen that social media platforms in India and across the globe was considered an effective medium to search, share and understand health related information. People’s dependency on social media platforms for health-related information resulted in more health-related content on these platforms. In many instances there were lot of misinformation and disinformation that misguided the people into wrong actions and choices. Moreover, due to lack of correct and verified information, these knowledge gaps were filled with incorrect and misleading content, that added to the chaos and panic in society. This ‘infodemic’, the epidemic of misinformation and disinformation and fake news had the potential of taking more leaves than the pandemic itself. On one hand, social media platforms played a crucial role in disseminating information, it also aggravated the spread of fake news and propaganda. This ‘double edged sword’ effect of social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic needs to be understood from the user’s point of view. This study aims to investigate the role of social media in disseminating news related to COVID-19 and its impact on the public. The study employs both quantitative and qualitative data collection methodology to collect data on how social media has influenced the public's perception of health information especially during the pandemic. The paper explores the extent to which false information and fake news on social media have contributed to confusion and anxiety among the public. It also evaluates the impact of critical thinking and fact-checking skills on mitigating the effects of health misinformation. The findings of the study will contribute to a better understanding of the impact of health misinformation on social media during a pandemic.

Keywords: Social media platforms, health misinformation, infodemic, critical thinking, fact-checking, fake news, COVID-19 pandemic