Social Media, COVID-19, Misinformation, and Ethics: A Descriptive Study of American Adults' Perceptions

Kryzsko Commons, Oak Rooms E&F

Social media users' perceptions of the ethics of social media posting about the COVID-19 virus, vaccines, and masking has received little attention in the scholarly literature. This descriptive study examined US 41 residents' perceptions of misinformation and ethics in social media related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (N=161) responded to an online survey that asked them to describe their perspective on the ethics of postings about the COVID-19 pandemic and their views of misinformation and fake news surrounding COVID-19, the vaccines, and masking. The study found, consistent with the Third Person Effect, that most people believe their friends and family are more likely to share misinformation than they are. The most important ethical issues they discussed related to social media postings about the pandemic were misinformation, freedom of speech and other civil rights, lack of tolerance, politicizing COVID-19, and the rights of the individual versus the needs of the community.