Pandemic and pandemonium: an analysis on the displacements of false information in Covid-19 times

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.12795/Ambitos.2021.i52.04

Keywords:

disinformation, disinfodemic, Covid-19, journalistic ethics

Abstract

This article discuss the communicational fragility in the era of disinformation in a humanitarian crisis, in this case, the global pandemic of Covid-19. The study was developed through news content analysis that reports the circulation of untrue or manipulated information about the coronavirus and that caused negative developments in the period from March to December 2020. For that, communicational concepts, deontological principles, contexts and social reflections are approached to better understand the problem. The analysis carried out in this study focused on three specific episodes: (1) the death of more than 700 people in Iran from drinking adulterated alcohol due to the rumor that the substance was the cure for the Covid-19; (2) the increase in cases of ingestion and intoxication by cleaning products in the USA after President Donald Trump suggested that the possible substances be a possible treatment for coronavirus; (3) and the omission of data on SARS-CoV-2 by China at the beginning of the pandemic. Both episodes served to illustrate the dangers of disinformation, the types of disinformation that exist and the long-term damage that false information can cause. With this, the study reinforces the importance of the verified information, as well as the relevance of journalism in the current times and, thus, it intends to contribute to its re-signification.

Keywords: Disinfodemic. Covid-19. Journalistic Ethics. Media Education

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Author Biographies

Bianca Cordeiro Manfrin, Universidade de Cruz Alta

Bachelor's degree in Journalism from the University of Cruz Alta / UNICRUZ (2021), with a stint at the University of Coimbra - Portugal, where he attended a semester of undergraduate academic mobility (2019). He received a scholarship from the Scientific Initiation Program (PIBIC- UNICRUZ) linked to the research line Language, Communication and Society. He has experience in the area of Communication, with an emphasis on Journalism, working mainly on the following topics: journalistic ethics, disinformation, gender and discourse analysis. Researcher at the Study, Research and Extension Group in Languages and Communication (GEPELC).

Veronice Mastella, Universidade de Cruz Alta

PhD in Letters (Linguistic Studies) from the Federal University of Santa Maria / UFSM (2015) with a doctoral internship with CAPES scholarship, at the Pompeu Fabra University (UPF), Barcelona (ES); Master in Social Communication by the Methodist University of São Paulo / UMESP (2000); Specialist in Teaching in Higher Education from the University of Cruz Alta / UNICRUZ (1999) and Bachelor in Social Communication - Qualification in Journalism from the Federal University of Santa Maria / UFSM (1984). She is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Cruz Alta. She has experience in the area of Communication, with an emphasis on Media Culture, acting mainly on the following themes: media, culture and society; language in the social context; popularization of science; humanities; journalism and productive routines. Researcher at the Study, Research and Extension Group in Languages and Communication (GEPELC).

References

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Published

2021-04-15

How to Cite

Cordeiro Manfrin, B., & Mastella, V. (2021). Pandemic and pandemonium: an analysis on the displacements of false information in Covid-19 times. Ámbitos. Revista Internacional De Comunicación, (52), 52–70. https://doi.org/10.12795/Ambitos.2021.i52.04

Issue

No. 52 (2021): Spring Edition

Section

MONOGRAPH

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