As the world battles COVID-19, it is also managing what the WHO calls an “infodemic.”
With just a tap on a mobile screen, rumours, unproven cures and conspiracy theories are amplified on social media and messaging platforms, posing as much a threat to public health as the virus itself.
Our international study investigates where Gen Z and Millennials in pandemic hotspots are getting their COVID-19 information, who they trust as sources, what they worry about and their awareness of false news. It also looks at the size of their social media networks and how likely they are to share unverified information.
We hope these key findings along with our interactive dashboard will help health organizations, governments, media, businesses and schools hone their health communication strategies.
The survey covers 23,500 respondents aged 18 to 40 in 24 countries who were reached via their mobile devices between late October 2020 and early January 2021. This is a joint study by Wunderman Thompson, The University of Melbourne and Pollfish, in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO).
A fuller report will be published in April by the University of Melbourne, with the technical support of the WHO.
