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Infodemic and Fake News in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • María Jesús Fernández-Torres

    (Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain)

  • Ana Almansa-Martínez

    (Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain)

  • Rocío Chamizo-Sánchez

    (Department of Audiovisual Communication and Advertising, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Universidad de Málaga, 29071 Malaga, Spain)

Abstract

Internet, new technologies and social networks have changed the consumption and dissemination of information. The world is witnessing the proliferation of so-called false news, especially since the beginning of 2020, when COVID-19 became the main issue on the global agenda. Alleged government actions, remedies, advice, etc., are the cause of a multitude of messages that are often false. Through surveys (1115 responses were obtained) and a review of the literature, we explore how the proliferation of COVID-19’s false news affects and impacts public opinion in Spain. We also examine how citizens are being informed about the pandemic, identify the main channels of communication used and discover the impact of misinformation. The main conclusions are that, in Spain, citizens are interested in information related to the coronavirus, but there is a lack of media credibility and reliability; the social networks and instant messaging are considered the channels that transmit the greatest amount of false news.

Suggested Citation

  • María Jesús Fernández-Torres & Ana Almansa-Martínez & Rocío Chamizo-Sánchez, 2021. "Infodemic and Fake News in Spain during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:4:p:1781-:d:498148
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carlos de las Heras-Pedrosa & Pablo Sánchez-Núñez & José Ignacio Peláez, 2020. "Sentiment Analysis and Emotion Understanding during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain and Its Impact on Digital Ecosystems," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-22, July.
    2. Heidi J. Larson, 2020. "Blocking information on COVID-19 can fuel the spread of misinformation," Nature, Nature, vol. 580(7803), pages 306-306, April.
    3. Daniel Catalan-Matamoros & Carlos Elías, 2020. "Vaccine Hesitancy in the Age of Coronavirus and Fake News: Analysis of Journalistic Sources in the Spanish Quality Press," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, November.
    4. Mariusz Duplaga, 2020. "The Determinants of Conspiracy Beliefs Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Nationally Representative Sample of Internet Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-15, October.
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