Weaponized Health Communication: Twitter Bots and Russian Trolls Amplify the Vaccine Debate
- PMID: 30138075
- PMCID: PMC6137759
- DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304567
Weaponized Health Communication: Twitter Bots and Russian Trolls Amplify the Vaccine Debate
Abstract
Objectives: To understand how Twitter bots and trolls ("bots") promote online health content.
Methods: We compared bots' to average users' rates of vaccine-relevant messages, which we collected online from July 2014 through September 2017. We estimated the likelihood that users were bots, comparing proportions of polarized and antivaccine tweets across user types. We conducted a content analysis of a Twitter hashtag associated with Russian troll activity.
Results: Compared with average users, Russian trolls (χ2(1) = 102.0; P < .001), sophisticated bots (χ2(1) = 28.6; P < .001), and "content polluters" (χ2(1) = 7.0; P < .001) tweeted about vaccination at higher rates. Whereas content polluters posted more antivaccine content (χ2(1) = 11.18; P < .001), Russian trolls amplified both sides. Unidentifiable accounts were more polarized (χ2(1) = 12.1; P < .001) and antivaccine (χ2(1) = 35.9; P < .001). Analysis of the Russian troll hashtag showed that its messages were more political and divisive.
Conclusions: Whereas bots that spread malware and unsolicited content disseminated antivaccine messages, Russian trolls promoted discord. Accounts masquerading as legitimate users create false equivalency, eroding public consensus on vaccination. Public Health Implications. Directly confronting vaccine skeptics enables bots to legitimize the vaccine debate. More research is needed to determine how best to combat bot-driven content.
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Comment in
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Population Health Science as the Basic Science of Public Health: A Public Health of Consequence, October 2018.Am J Public Health. 2018 Oct;108(10):1288-1289. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304668. Am J Public Health. 2018. PMID: 30207758 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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Health Communication Trolls and Bots Versus Public Health Agencies' Trusted Voices.Am J Public Health. 2018 Oct;108(10):1281-1282. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304661. Am J Public Health. 2018. PMID: 30207762 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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Addressing Vaccine Concerns: A Hopeful Path Forward for Vaccine Confidence.Am J Public Health. 2021 Apr;111(4):556-558. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2020.306150. Am J Public Health. 2021. PMID: 33689421 Free PMC article. No abstract available.
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