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The Visual Vaccine Debate on Twitter: A Social Network Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Elena Milani

    (Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, UK)

  • Emma Weitkamp

    (Department of Applied Sciences, University of the West of England, UK)

  • Peter Webb

    (Department of Health and Social Sciences, University of the West of England, UK)

Abstract

Pro- and anti-vaccination users use social media outlets, such as Twitter, to join conversations about vaccines, disseminate information or misinformation about immunization, and advocate in favour or against vaccinations. These users not only share textual content, but also images to emphasise their messages and influence their audiences. Though previous studies investigated the content of vaccine images, there is little research on how these visuals are distributed in digital environments. Therefore, this study explored how images related to vaccination are shared on Twitter to gain insight into the communities and networks formed around their dissemination. Moreover, this research also investigated who influences the distribution of vaccine images, and could be potential gatekeepers of vaccination information. We conducted a social network analysis on samples of tweets with images collected in June, September and October 2016. In each dataset, pro- and anti-vaccination users formed two polarised networks that hardly interacted with each other, and disseminated images among their members differently. The anti-vaccination users frequently retweeted each other, strengthening their relationships, making the information redundant within their community, and confirming their beliefs against immunisation. The pro-vaccine users, instead, formed a fragmented network, with loose but strategic connections that facilitated networking and the distribution of new vaccine information. Moreover, while the pro-vaccine gatekeepers were non-governmental organisations or health professionals, the anti-vaccine ones were activists and/or parents. Activists and parents could potentially be considered as alternative but trustworthy sources of information enabling them to disseminate misinformation about vaccinations.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Milani & Emma Weitkamp & Peter Webb, 2020. "The Visual Vaccine Debate on Twitter: A Social Network Analysis," Media and Communication, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(2), pages 364-375.
    • Handle: RePEc:cog:meanco:v:8:y:2020:i:2:p:364-375
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Weiai Xu & I-Hsuan Chiu & Yixin Chen & Tanuka Mukherjee, 2015. "Twitter hashtags for health: applying network and content analyses to understand the health knowledge sharing in a Twitter-based community of practice," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 49(4), pages 1361-1380, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bo Yang & Chao Liu & Xusen Cheng & Xi Ma, 2022. "Understanding Users' Group Behavioral Decisions About Sharing Articles in Social Media: An Elaboration Likelihood Model Perspective," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 31(4), pages 819-842, August.
    2. 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.
    3. Alexandre Gori Maia & Jose Daniel Morales Martinez & Leticia Junqueira Marteleto & Cristina Guimaraes Rodrigues & Luiz Gustavo Sereno, 2023. "Can the Content of Social Networks Explain Epidemic Outbreaks?," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(1), pages 1-34, February.
    4. Samar Binkheder & Raniah N. Aldekhyyel & Alanoud AlMogbel & Nora Al-Twairesh & Nuha Alhumaid & Shahad N. Aldekhyyel & Amr A. Jamal, 2021. "Public Perceptions around mHealth Applications during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Network and Sentiment Analysis of Tweets in Saudi Arabia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-22, December.

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