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Vaccine Assemblages on Three HPV Vaccine-Critical Facebook Pages in Denmark from 2012 to 2019

Author

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  • Torben E. Agergaard

    (Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark)

  • Màiri E. Smith

    (Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark)

  • Kristian H. Nielsen

    (Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark)

Abstract

Misinformation about vaccines on social media is a growing concern among healthcare professionals, medical experts, and researchers. Although such concerns often relate to the total sum of information flows generated online by many groups of stakeholders, vaccination controversies tend to vary across time, place, and the vaccine at issue. We studied content generated by administrators on three Facebook pages in Denmark established to promote critical debate about Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. We developed a qualitative coding frame allowing us to analyze administrators’ posts in terms of prevalent topics and intertextual material incorporated by linking and sharing. We coded more than a third of the posts (n = 699) occurring in the period from November 2012, when the first page was founded, to May 2019. We found that the pages mainly addressed the reports of adverse events following HPV vaccination and the (perceived) inadequate response of healthcare systems. To construct their central message, the pages assembled different sources, mostly reporting from Danish news media, but also personal narratives, scientific information, political assertions, and more. We conclude that HPV vaccination assemblages such as these pages are heterogeneous and contextual. They are not uniform sites of vaccine criticism, but rather seem to respond to and exchange information and misinformation within the communication environment in which they are embedded.

Suggested Citation

  • Torben E. Agergaard & Màiri E. Smith & Kristian H. Nielsen, 2020. "Vaccine Assemblages on Three HPV Vaccine-Critical Facebook Pages in Denmark from 2012 to 2019," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 339-352.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:meanco:v:8:y:2020:i:2:p:339-352
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Heidi J. Larson, 2018. "The biggest pandemic risk? Viral misinformation," Nature, Nature, vol. 562(7727), pages 309-309, October.
    2. Ward, Jeremy K., 2016. "Rethinking the antivaccine movement concept: A case study of public criticism of the swine flu vaccine’s safety in France," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 48-57.
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    Cited by:

    1. An Nguyen & Daniel Catalan-Matamoros, 2020. "Digital Mis/Disinformation and Public Engagement with Health and Science Controversies: Fresh Perspectives from Covid-19," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 323-328.

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