These individuals are more susceptible to online misinformation.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which threatened public health worldwide, also solidified this fact because these vulnerable populations were mostly affected and consumed/ shared such misinformation online.
ARTICLES
9/5/20231 min read
Research shows that some groups are most vulnerable to misinformation online. The COVID-19 pandemic, which threatened public health worldwide, also solidified this fact because these vulnerable populations were mostly affected and consumed/ shared such misinformation online. Research shows that there was an increase in the mortality rate from COVID-19 among less educated people (Concepción-Zavaleta et al.,2023).
Who are the individuals most susceptible to online misinformation?
Older Adults.
Minorities
Individuals with low trust in science, mainstream media or government and higher conservatism
Individuals with lower education.
Watch the video below for an in-depth explanation:
References
Concepción-Zavaleta, M. J., Coronado-Arroyo, J. C., Zavaleta-Gutiérrez, F. E., & Concepción-Urteaga, L. A. (2020). Does level of education influence mortality of SARS-CoV-2 in a developing country?. International journal of epidemiology, 49(6), 2091-2093.
Peng, W., Lim, S., & Meng, J. (2023). Persuasive strategies in online health misinformation: a systematic review. Information, Communication & Society, 26(11), 2131-2148.