False information about COVID-19 is DANGEROUS.

Defining Misinformation vs. Disinformation

Misinformation

is false information shared by people who do not intend to mislead others.

Disinformation

is false information deliberately created and disseminated with malicious intent.

Both are detrimental to COVID safety and vaccine rates. Most information and disinformation has circulated about COVID-19 vaccines has focused on vaccine development, safety, and effectiveness, as well as COVID-19 denialism.

reference: statista

How to conduct effective social listening and media monitoring and help prevent the spread of misinformation:

1. Identify your jurisdiction’s existing information sources that will inform listening, such as analysis of social media comments, call center logs, and media inquiry logs. Check tools regularly to gather social listening data.

2. Create and maintain a social media influencer list to monitor for perceptions, content gaps, and misinformation.

3. Create and maintain a rumor log to track circulating misinformation, its volume, how it is spreading, and how it evolves over time.

4. Set up a social and traditional media monitoring system to access key channels, communities, and conversations, including free monitoring and analytical tools.

5. Analyze and develop insights by considering the following questions:

What questions are people asking about COVID-19 vaccination?
What are people’s attitudes and emotions that may be linked to vaccination behavior?
What rumors or misinformation are circulating?
What overarching themes and narratives—beyond individual pieces of content—emerge from widely circulated rumors and misinformation?
How are people responding to and interpreting vaccine-related communication from public health authorities?