Social Media and Science: A Double-Edged Sword of (Mis)Communication?

A Case Study of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Hailed as an indispensable tool for 21st-century communication, online media platforms have played major roles in the proliferation of knowledge worldwide. However, this new outlet of opportunity is not without its drawbacks to consider. With social media continuing to introduce new priorities to communicators, information becomes vulnerable to the fast click approaches to writing, sacrificing the quality of written work to achieve a wider digital reach. At the same time, healthcare professionals themselves become the subjects of scrutiny and distrust, competing with digital actors to share information with the public. Consequently, the negative side of social media makes itself evident amidst the recent global pandemic, illustrating the power that rumours may have on influencing overall health and safety. With this as the case, necessary conversations pertaining to the dangerous nature of social media must be held to both maximize awareness and allow for the avoidance of misinformation.