PredCov: Media Influence on COVID-19 Discourse and Risk Perception
The project discusses the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, the first global pandemic in the era of social media, primarily due to the widespread dissemination of misinformation and fake news through digital media. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an infodemic in February 2020 to highlight the escalation of false information. The "PredCov" project explores how traditional media and social networks shape public debate and risk perception concerning COVID-19, its vaccines, and non-pharmaceutical interventions. Additionally, it is part of a broader project aimed at developing a system to model future scenarios of contagious diseases spread, integrating epidemiological, social, economic, and media aspects, and advancing innovative data analytics methodologies.
The different lines of research are listed in parentheses.
MediaLab was in charged of L6 “Media analysis”
The proposed project aims to develop and enhance three epidemiological models to forecast the incidence of future COVID-19 waves from various approaches. These models will be integrated into a combined (ensemble forecast) model, which will also incorporate aspects typically absent from current epidemiological models. These include population mobility data obtained from WiFi traces and digital contact tracing, analysis of population habits, and the ability to adhere to social distancing measures. The outputs of these models will help assess risk situations linked to events, public risk perceptions, and misinformation concerning COVID-19. One of these models stems from a study conducted by UC3M MediaLab, titled “Media analysis for public discourse/debate analysis, public perception of risk, and identification of fake news on COVID-19 issues.” Funded by a direct grant from the Community of Madrid and Madrid University Carlos III of EUR 4.859.000, the project spans three years (2021-2023) and is supported by REACT-EU resources from the European Regional Development Fund “A way of making Europe
Social Media Analysis of COVID-19 Discourse and Vaccine Perceptions
Analysis of public discourse/debate on COVID-19 in general, vaccination and the anti-vaccine movement in social networks (Twitter, Youtube and Facebook), as well as trends in information consumption about COVID-19
Evaluating Public Risk Perception and Misinformation on COVID-19
Analysis of public perception of risk, misinformation and fake news about COVID-19 through population-based surveys and experimental design studies. As input data, information from CoronaSurveys surveys would also be considered
Data Provision for Modeling COVID-19 Media Influence and Misinformation
Provide the consortium with data related to media, social networks and misinformation about COVID-19 and vaccination for the development of combined models generated by other research groups in the project.
Methodology
Our team from UC3M MediaLab analysed both the informative pieces of journalists and the contents published and disseminated by the population about COVID-19. Eventually, through experimental design studies, the influence of the media and social networks on the population during a public health crisis were determined.
On the other hand, population surveys were developed to determine relevant aspects about the population of the Community of Madrid in comparison with other Autonomous Communities such as the use of the media to receive information about COVID-19 and vaccination, level of trust and perception of fake news, public perception of risk, among others. In-depth interviews were also conducted to learn about relevant aspects identified by the project consortium. The information collected supported the development of the combined models generated by other research groups.
The research process conducted by MediaLab
Information
The media
Citizen
Understanding, attitudes, engagements,behaviour
Related study outputs and publications:
1. Langbecker, A., Catalan-Matamoros, D., & Prada, E. (2024). How has COVID-19 impacted the public discourse around vaccines? A comparative analysis of Twitter. Communication & Society, 37(3), 55-72.
4. Langbecker, Andrea, & Matamoros, Daniel Catalán. (2023). Redes sociales y vacunación covid-19: análisis del comportamiento de usuarios en España. Perspectivas de la comunicación, 16(2).
6. Langbecker, Andrea, & Catalán Matamoros, Daniel. (2023). Las fuentes de información sobre vacunas en El País y El Mundo: el efecto covid-19. Palabra Clave, 26(3), e2639. Epub August 31, 2023.
https://doi.org/10.5294/pacla.2023.23.6.9
9. Catalan-Matamoros, D.; Langbecker, A. (2023). How Does the Public Receive Information about Vaccines during the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in Spain. Societies, 13, 62.
10. Catalan-Matamoros D, Elías-Pérez C. (2020). Vaccine hesitancy in the age of coronavirus and fake news: Analysis of journalistic sources in the Spanish quality press. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(21), 8136.
11. Maciá-Barber C. (2020). COVID-19 en portada: radiografía ética de la cobertura fotográfica de la pandemia en España. Rev Esp Comun Salud. S1, S42-58.
12. Tuñón-Navarro J, Carral-Vilar U. (2021). Has COVID-19 promoted or discouraged a European Public Sphere? Comparative analysis of the Twitter interactions of German, French, Italian and Spanish MEPSs during the pandemic. Communication & Society. 34, 3, 135-51.
14. Nguyen A, Catalan-Matamoros D. (2020). Digital Mis/Disinformation and Public Engagment with Health and Science Controversies: Fresh Perspectives from Covid-19. Media and Communication. 8, 2, 323-8.
The Team
The project was led by Professor Dr. Daniel Catalán Matamoros, the director of UC3M MediaLab. It assembles a team of experts with extensive experience in relevant fields such as journalism, public health, political science, and media research. This diverse group of team members was instrumental in implementing the project’s research agenda, bringing together unique perspectives.
