In this study we approach the complexity of the vaccine debate from a new and comprehensive perspective. Focusing on the Italian context, we examine almost all the online information produced in the 2016-2021 timeframe by both sources that have a reputation for misinformation and those that do not. Although reliable sources can rely on larger newsrooms and cover more news than misinformation ones, the transfer entropy analysis of the corresponding time series reveals that the former have not always informationally dominated the latter on the vaccine subject. Indeed, the pre-pandemic period sees misinformation establish itself as leader of the process, even in causal terms, and gain dramatically more user engagement than news from reliable sources. Despite this information gap was filled during the Covid-19 outbreak, the newfound leading role of reliable sources as drivers of the information ecosystem has only partially had a beneficial effect in reducing user engagement with misinformation on vaccines. Our results indeed show that, except for effectiveness of vaccination, reliable sources have never adequately countered the anti-vax narrative, specially in the pre-pandemic period, thus contributing to exacerbate science denial and belief in conspiracy theories. At the same time, however, they confirm the efficacy of assiduously proposing a convincing counter-narrative to misinformation spread. Indeed, effectiveness of vaccination turns out to be the least engaging topic discussed by misinformation during the pandemic period, when compared to other polarising arguments such as safety concerns, legal issues and vaccine business. By highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of institutional and mainstream communication, our findings can be a valuable asset for improving and better targeting campaigns against misinformation on vaccines.
翻译:在这项研究中,我们从新的和全面的角度来看待疫苗辩论的复杂性。以意大利为焦点,我们检查了在2016-2021年时间框架内由两个有误传名声的来源和不可靠的来源在2016-2021年时间框架内产生的几乎所有在线信息。虽然可靠的来源可以依赖更大的新闻室,覆盖更多的新闻而不是错误消息,但是,对相应时间序列的传导性分析表明,前者并非总是在疫苗问题上以信息为主,前者并非总是在疫苗问题上以信息为主。事实上,在广度前的时期,错误信息被视为这一进程的领导者,即使从因果关系的角度来看,用户的参与程度也大大超过可靠来源的新闻。尽管在Covid-19爆发期间填补了这一信息缺口,但作为信息生态系统驱动者的可靠商业来源的新发现的主要作用只能部分地对减少用户在疫苗上使用错误消息的影响。我们的研究结果确实表明,除了免疫的有效性外,可靠的来源从未充分反驳反反蒸发式的叙述,特别是在广度之前的时期,从而助长了科学否认和对阴谋理论的信仰。然而,与此同时,它们证实,可靠的商业来源作为信息生态系统驱动者的新作用的新作用的功效,比起来要比起来,要比起来,要更接近一个令人信服地表明,在疫苗战期里程期间,要更接近性地讨论。