Propagating and Debunking Conspiracy Theories on Twitter During the 2015–2016 Zika Virus Outbreak

Michael Wood

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Abstract

The present study investigates the characteristics of discussion of conspiracy theories about the Zika virus outbreak of 2015–16 on Twitter. Content and social network analysis of a dataset of 25,162 original Tweets about Zika virus conspiracy theories showed that relative to debunking messages, conspiracy theories spread through a more decentralized network, are more likely to invoke supposedly knowledgeable authorities in making arguments, and ask more rhetorical questions. These trends can be understood in the context of previous work on conspiracy theories, including the “just asking questions” style of rhetoric, the importance of sourcing and authority, and the tendency to simultaneously consider many different potential conspiracies that might underlie an important topic or event.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)485-490
Number of pages6
JournalCyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
Volume21
Issue number8
Early online date18 Jul 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2018

Keywords

  • conspiracy theories
  • misinformation
  • social network analysis
  • rumor
  • Twitter
  • Zika virus

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