COVID-19, Misinformation and Communication Studies: A Systematic Review of the Infodemic

Abstract

This study aims to structure the available body of knowledge relating to the infodemic by means of a systematic review and explore it in a multidimensional manner by taking into account the speed of the propagation of misinformation, its fast-changing nature and effects. The study also aims to present the interaction between the field of communication and other fields of study within the framework of the ongoing infodemic. The studies for systematic review were gathered from internationally known scientific databases, namely the Web of Science Core Collection and Google Scholar, over two stages. A total of 46 studies were included in this systematic review. This study utilized an inductive research approach for systematic review. Using this approach, the authors’ identified the reasons for the propagation of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic in these papers. The authors also identified the effects of this misinformation, the methods of individuals, official and non-official actors to combat misinformation, the cultural factors and legal measures for combating misinformation, and the recommendations related to traditional media, the new media and other verification structures. The studies conducted in the field of communication were predominantly cited in studies conducted within Communication and Health & Health Care Sciences fields. A notable observation made in this study was that studies which focused on combating misinformation were cited more than other studies reviewed.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• infodemic
• misinformation
• social media
• systematic review

COVID-19, Yanlış Bilgi ve İletişim Çalışmaları: İnfodemi Üzerine Sistematik Bir Gözden Geçirme

Abstract

Bu çalışma COVID-19 salgınında yanlış bilginin yayılma hızını, hızlı dönüşen yapısını ve etkilerini göz önünde bulundurarak; bir sistematik gözden geçirme aracılığıyla infodemiye yönelik bilgi birikimini yapılandırmayı ve onu çok boyutlu bir şekilde keşfetmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Ayrıca, infodemi konusu çerçevesinde iletişim disiplini ve diğer disiplinlerin etkileşimini ortaya koymak çalışmanın amaçları arasındadır. Bu çalışma kapsamında değerlendirilen araştırmalar, sistematik gözden geçirmeye dahil etmek üzere uluslararası ölçekte tanınan bilimsel veritabanları Web of Science Core Collection ve Google Scholar’da iki aşamalı bir süreç ile aranmış ve 46 çalışma sistematik gözden geçirmeye dahil edilmiştir. Tümevarımcı bir araştırma perspektifiyle gerçekleştirilen sistematik gözden geçirme sonucunda COVID-19 salgını sürecinde yanlış bilgiyi ortaya çıkaran sebepler ve etkileri; bireysel, resmi ve gayrı-resmi aktörlerin yanlış bilgi ile mücadele yöntemleri; yanlış bilgi ile mücadelede kültürel faktörler; yasal önlemler ve geleneksel medya, yeni medya ve diğer doğrulama oluşumlarına yönelik tavsiyeler elde edilmiştir. İletişim alanında gerçekleştirilen bilimsel çalışmalara en çok İletişim ve Sağlık Bilimleri alanlarında yapılan bilimsel çalışmalarda atıf yapıldığı gözlemlenmiştir. Yanlış bilgi ile mücadele konusu ana odak noktası olan iletişim çalışmalarının farklı alanlardaki araştırmalar tarafından sistematik gözden geçirmedeki diğer çalışmalara kıyasla daha fazla alıntılandığı gözlemlenmiştir.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• infodemi
• yanlış bilgi
• sosyal medya
• sistematik gözden geçirme

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