Wildfire-Like Effect of a WhatsApp Campaign to Mobilize a Group of Predominantly Health Professionals With a University Degree on a Health Issue: Infodemiology Study

Abstract

Background Online interactions within a closed WhatsApp group can influence the attitudes and behaviors of the users in relation to health issues. Objective This study aimed to analyze the activity of the members of a WhatsApp group initiated to raise awareness of the possible health effects of 5G mobile networks and mobilize members to sign the related petition. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from the WhatsApp group of 205 members that was active during 4 consecutive days in August 2019. The messages exchanged were collected, anonymized, and analyzed according to their timing and content. Results The WhatsApp group members were invited to the group from the administrator’s contacts; 91% (187/205) had a university degree, 68% (140/205) were medical professionals, and 24% (50/205) held academic positions. Approximately a quarter of the members (47/205, 23%) declared in their messages they signed the corresponding petition. The intense message exchange had wildfire-like features, and the majority of messages (126/133, 95%) were exchanged during the first 26 hours. Despite the viral activity and high rate of members openly declaring that they signed the petition, only 8 (8/133, 6%) messages from the group members, excluding the administrator, referred to the health issue, which was the topic of the group. No member expressed an opposite opinion to those presented by the administrator, and there was no debate in the form of exchanging opposite opinions. Conclusions The wildfire-like activity of the WhatsApp group and open declaration of signing the petition as a result of the mobilization campaign were not accompanied by any form of a debate related to the corresponding health issue, although the group members were predominantly health professionals, with a quarter of holding academic positions.

The causes, impacts and countermeasures of COVID-19 “Infodemic”: A systematic review using narrative synthesis

“… Recommendations for public health information needs/seeking 1 The infodemic is the product of a differentiated risk profile, suggesting that to address the infodemic is to tailor interventions to fit the various needs of different populations ( Clark-Ginsberg et al., 2020 ; Chisita, 2020 ); 2 To develop behavioral strategies to satisfy the needs of ethnic groups suffering the stigma and discrimination of disease ( Patel et al., 2020 ); 3 Governments should reach out to communities to ensure their information needs are understood, customizing messages to satisfy the audiences; craft texts for lay audiences ( Bastani and Bahrami, 2020 ; Hauer and Sood, 2020 ; Xie et al., 2020 ; Tangcharoensathien et al., 2020 ; Hua and Shaw, 2020 ); 4 Through EPI-WIN, WHO identifies the key "amplifiers," who are trusted sources of information for specific audiences, and by regular contact and discussion about their information needs, create appropriate informational and educational materials ( JCIH Editorial Team 2020 ); 5 Stop considering the current information that you are consuming. It is beneficial to consider everything as potentially being fake news unless you can verify them; Use common-sense questions to ask yourself when evaluating medical information[223] ; 6 Find the right media documents, and ask the right questions ( Sperry and Scheibe, 2002 ); 7 The information from various sources should go through one dedicated center for them to decipher, diagnose, treat and inform affected individuals ( Khan, 2020 ); 8 Examine how people search and navigate the Internet for health information from the perspective of Infodemiology ( Hernández-García and Giménez-Júlvez, 2020 ; Zhao et al., 2020 ; Sousa-Pinto et al., 2020 ; Rovetta and Bhagavathula, 2020 ; Eysenbach, 2009 ; Rovetta and Bhagavathula, 2020 ; Kopilaš and Gajović, 2020 ); 9 Vet emerging sources for health providers and users in emergency ( Morgan-Daniel et al., 2020 ); 10 …”

Self-Perceived Mental Health Status, Digital Activity, and Physical Distancing in the Context of Lockdown Versus Not-in-Lockdown Measures in Italy and Croatia: Cross-Sectional Study in the Early Ascending Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in March 2020

“…The additional important novelty of the current situation is that the citizens’ general habits and lifestyle have recently evolved to embrace and apply digital capabilities. By interacting and sharing the variety of contents in the digital environment, the society becomes globally connected and digitally enhanced ( Svalastog et al, 2017 ; Kopilaš and Gajović, 2020 ). While feeling in danger in the off-line world, citizens currently have the alternative to operate in the online realm.…”

Perspectives on the COVID-19 Vaccination Rollout in 17 Countries: Reflexive Thematic and Frequency Analysis Based on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) Framework

“…Communication of vaccine information and promotion of its uptake in the digital era includes the use of social networks [ 51 ]. However, the use of social networks is also associated with risks due to the wildfire-like dynamics of rumors in the digital environment and issues with unknown algorithms used by for-profit entities filtering information [ 52 , 53 ]. Social networks are expected to drive healthy public debates; however, they instead frequently reinforce like-minded “bubbles” and increase polarization [ 53 , 54 ].…”