COVID-19 vaccine online misinformation in Fiji: Preliminary findings

Romitesh Kant; Rufino Varea; Jason Titifanue

doi:10.24135/pjr.v27i1and2.1189

Romitesh Kant La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9242-2128
Rufino Varea The University of the South Pacific https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3002-6944
Jason Titifanue The University of the South Pacific; La Trobe University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9086-3912

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24135/pjr.v27i1and2.1189

Keywords: COVID-19, disinformation, Facebook, Fiji, misinformation, pandemic, social media, vaccine, vaccine hesitancy, vaccination

Abstract

Digital media, opens a vast array of avenues for lay people to effectively engage with news, information and debates about important science and health issues. However, they have also become a fertile ground for various stakeholders to spread misinformation and disinformation, stimulate uncivil discussions and engender ill-informed, dangerous public decisions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, antivaccination social media accounts are proliferating online, threatening to further escalate vaccine hesitancy. The pandemic signifies not only a global health crisis, it has also proven to be an infodemic characterised by many conspiracy theories. Prior research indicates that belief in health-related conspiracies can harm efforts to curtail the spread of a virus. This article presents and examines preliminary research findings on COVID-19 vaccine related misinformation being circulated on Fijian Facebook Forums.

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Author Biographies

Romitesh Kant, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

Romitesh Kant is a Fiji based research consultant and a Development Leadership Programme (DLP) research associate; and an honorary research associate at the Institute of Human Security and Social Change (IHSSC), La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

Rufino Varea, The University of the South Pacific

Rufino Varea is a PhD candidate at the School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji.

Jason Titifanue, The University of the South Pacific; La Trobe University

Jason Titifanue is a teaching staff at the School of Government, Development and International Affairs, The University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji; a Development Leadership Programme (DLP) research associate; and an Honorary Research Associate at the Institute of Human Security and Social Change (IHSSC), La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

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