Disinformation and information behavior in social media: science communication for prevention of the novel coronavirus

• Autor(a) principal: Corrêa, Maurício de Vargas
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Caregnato, Sônia Elisa
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Informação & Informação
• Texto Completo: https://ojs.uel.br/revistas/uel/index.php/informacao/article/view/41428
• topic: Disinformation; Information behavior; Science communication; Social media; Desinformación; Comportamiento informacional; Divulgación científica; Redes sociales online; Desinformação; Comportamento informacional; Divulgação científica; Mídias sociais

Introduction: The climate of insecurity about the Covid-19 pandemic, the lack of accurate information and the growing use of information and communication technologies seem to have contributed to promote the production and circulation of disinformation on social media. Objective: This study aimed to characterize the discursive practices associated with the “Vídeo do álcool gel no WhatsApp é mentira” and to identify expressions of information behavior in comments to the video. Methodology: Content analysis was chosen as research method due to the characteristics of empirical material and the focus on emerging meanings. Results: The results show ten discursive practices related to “Vídeo do álcool gel no WhatsApp é mentira”, represented by the following categories: opining, mocking, reporting congratulating, thanking, asking, engaging, contributing, supporting and requesting. The opining category was the most expressive, with 50% of the units of analysis, suggesting that the formation of opinion or judgment on the published content is a relevant aspect for users. Expressions compatible with information seeking, information sharing, information evaluation and information use behavior were observed in the following categories: reporting, asking, engaging, contributing and requesting, as well as the praise, convergence and criticism subcategories. Conclusions: It is concluded that the characterization of the discursive practices expressed in the comments allowed the identification of information behavior in relation to the video and the ways of engaging with YouTube videos.