The effects of an informational intervention on attention to anti-vaccination content on YouTube

Sangyeon Kim, Omer F. Yalcin, Samuel E. Bestvater, Kevin Munger, Burt L. Monroe, Bruce A. Desmarais

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

The spread of misinformation related to health, especially vaccination, is a potential contributor to myriad public health problems. This misinformation is frequently spread through social media. Recently, social media companies have intervened in the dissemination of misinformation regarding vaccinations. In the current study we focus on YouTube. Recognizing the extent of the problem, YouTube implemented an informational modification that affected many videos related to vaccination beginning in February 2019. We collect original data and analyze the effects of this intervention on video viewership. We find that this informational intervention reduced traffic to the affected videos, both overall, and in comparison to a carefully-matched set of control videos that did not receive the informational modification.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 14th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, ICWSM 2020
PublisherAAAI press
Pages949-953
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9781577357889
StatePublished - 2020
Event14th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, ICWSM 2020 - Atlanta, Virtual, United States
Duration: Jun 8 2020Jun 11 2020

Publication series

NameProceedings of the 14th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, ICWSM 2020

Conference

Conference14th International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, ICWSM 2020
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityAtlanta, Virtual
Period6/8/206/11/20

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Computer Networks and Communications

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