Ebola and Localized Blame on Social Media: Analysis of Twitter and Facebook Conversations During the 2014–2015 Ebola Epidemic

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze main groups accused on social media of causing or spreading the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. In this analysis, blame is construed as a vehicle of meaning through which the lay public makes sense of an epidemic, and through which certain classes of people become ''figures of blame''. Data was collected from Twitter and Facebook using key word extraction, then categorized thematically. Our findings indicate an overall proximate blame tendency: blame was typically cast on ''near-by'' figures, namely national governments, and less so on ''distant'' figures, such as generalized figures of otherness (''Africans'', global health authorities, global elites). Our results also suggest an evolution of online blame. In the early stage of the epidemic, blame directed at the affected populations was more prominent. However, during the peak of the outbreak, the increasingly perceived threat of inter-continental spread was accompanied by a progressively proximal blame tendency, directed at figures with whom the social media users had pre-existing biopolitical frustrations. Our study proposes that pro-active and on-going analysis of blame circulating in social media can usefully help to guide communications strategies, making them more responsive to public perceptions.

Perceptions of who is in the healthcare team? A content analysis of social media posts during COVID-19 pandemic

“…Furthermore, healthcare researchers have used social media platforms to recruit participants for research projects and for related interventional studies (Sinnenberg et al, 2016). Social media analysis has been used in epidemics and outbreaks for various purposes including digital epidemiology, providing important insights into online content, negating rumours and the spread of inaccurate information and exploring perspectives and sentiment of the public (Roy et al, 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a widespread activity on social media from hysteria, fear, spread of misinformation and inaccurate judgment of literature to sharing positive experiences and efforts from around the globe and the 'tales of unimaginable sacrifices' of frontline healthcare professionals (Rosenberg et al, 2020).…”

“Life is more important than football”: Comparative analysis of Tweets and Facebook comments regarding the cancellation of the 2015 African Cup of Nations in Morocco

“…Rhetorical frame analysis allowed us to explore the variety of ways in which the cancellation of the CAN was framed, amplifying some elements and obscuring others. While our analysis did not explicitly show how the focus on certain themes or understandings led to the marginalization of other topics, it was nevertheless clear that the dominant frames involve a metaphorical folding-in on themselves, with arguments emanating from a risk-based perspective and rearticulating pre-existing fears, frustrations and beliefs (Roy et al, 2020). Indeed, there was an overall predominance of risk-based frames: comments calling for the management of the epidemic and the cancellation of the CAN were matched by those minimizing the risks of the epidemic, argued from an assessment of epidemiological and biomedical risks.…”

“…match-fixing related to betting is often mentioned (Hill, 2008). Criticism of profiteering and debates on financial issues have also had a very important place in discourse on football (Andreff, 2015) and epidemics (Atlani-Duault et al, 2015; Roy et al, 2020). Similarly, in regards to the religion frame, epidemics such as Ebola have historically been interpreted using spiritual and religious frames, especially in the Global South (Hewlett and Hewlett, 2008).…”

“…It is sociologically useful to focus on this type of event at the intersection of two worlds that have many points in common in their social dynamics, such as “othering” and (re)production of racist dynamics (Alcabes, 2009; Atlani-Duault et al, 2015; Moreau, 2008; Kassimeris, 2008). Additionally, sporting competition achievements and epidemic management successes are often socially conceptualized as a reflection of personal or national competence, thus relating to phenomena such as heroization and positive in-group identification (Roy et al, 2020, submitted; Grix and Kramareva, 2017). As such, the study of a “crossroads” event can shed light on social dynamics that straddle and even go beyond the fields directly concerned.…”

Pandémie et communautés minoritaires marginalisées : vers une approche inclusive en santé publique?

“…Sur le plan intercommunautaire, la pandémie de la COVID-19 a également attisé des tensions. Les études sur les épidémies du sida, d’Ebola, du H1N1 ont bien documenté les phénomènes sociaux menant à une quête de boucs émissaires, à des dynamiques de blâme et théories du complot, ciblant le plus souvent des groupes minoritaires vulnérables (Atlani-Duault et al 2015 ; Roy et al 2020 ). Depuis le début de la pandémie actuelle, la commission des droits de la personne et des droits de la jeunesse du Québec (2020) a d’ailleurs documenté une augmentation des crimes haineux et gestes de discrimination visant des personnes de minorité (asiatique, juives hassidiques), en plus des travailleurs de la santé et personnes âgées.…”