New media analysis reveals who’s causing the anti-vaccination infodemic

London, United Kingdom – 05 June 2020 - A new social media analysis conducted by media intelligence firm Commetric sheds light on the impact COVID-19 has had on the spread of anti-vaccination conspiracy theories online.

Some of the main findings include:

• Most users consumed vaccination content via videos rather than via media outlets, with the most popular YouTube channels spreading conspiracy claims.

• Some of the top trending videos on Facebook were several years old and promoted long-standing conspiracy theories.

• Much of the conspiratorial thinking was stirred up by Plandemic, a video featuring prominent anti-vaccine activist Judy Mikovits, and by the ever-popular narrative that Bill Gates created the virus to sell vaccines.

• The most influential anti-vaxxers on Twitter created an echo chamber populated by users describing themselves as Christians, conservatives, and Trump supporters.

• Far-right conspiracy proponents have evolved in their messaging: they have started to oppose calls for mandatory vaccination with a “pro-choice” stance, often treating vaccine resistance as a political campaign.

Read the full research here: 

How Has COVID-19 Affected the Anti-Vaccination Movement? A Social Media Analysis

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For further information, please contact:

Commetric
Magnus Hakansson, CEO
magnus.hakansson@commetric.com
+44 (0) 845 287 3003

Editor’s Notes

Commetric (www.commetric.com)

Commetric provides advanced media analytics solutions that help organisations manage and measure their corporate reputation. We combine AI and expert human insight to enable clients across industry sectors realise the full potential of their media investments. The firm has won numerous communications industry awards and is a leading AMEC member.