Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain
The Coronavirus pandemic has triggered an authentic infodemic, which is a global epidemic of disinformation that has spread throughout most of the world. Social media platforms and pseudo-media outlets have contributed to the problem by producing and disseminating misleading content that is potentia...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Political Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2021.685295/full |
| _version_ | 1818741405919477760 |
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| author | Dolors Palau-Sampio |
| author_facet | Dolors Palau-Sampio |
| author_sort | Dolors Palau-Sampio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Coronavirus pandemic has triggered an authentic infodemic, which is a global epidemic of disinformation that has spread throughout most of the world. Social media platforms and pseudo-media outlets have contributed to the problem by producing and disseminating misleading content that is potentially dangerous to public health. This research focuses on a rather unknown phenomenon, which involves digital sites that mimic the appearance of news media but provide pseudo-information. Five Spanish pseudo-media have been analyzed with the aim of enhancing understanding of the issues and the frames presented. The results show clear links with the far-right ideology as well as the presence of a populist, polarized discourse through the use of belligerent, offensive expressions to refer to institutions and their representatives. Politics is the main issue represented, with a frame that clearly points out the incompetence and cynicism of the Spanish government. Conspiracy theories associate the origins of the pandemic to a Chinese laboratory and emphasize a global plan to establish systemic control. Measures to stop the virus are framed as harmful and ineffective, linked to a euthanasia scheme targeted at older people, especially regarding vaccination, which is presented as a solution offered for economic interests. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:56:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f46053bcdd67495d80eac53dd0ea75d5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-3145 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T01:56:06Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Political Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-f46053bcdd67495d80eac53dd0ea75d52022-12-21T21:24:54ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Political Science2673-31452021-07-01310.3389/fpos.2021.685295685295Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in SpainDolors Palau-SampioThe Coronavirus pandemic has triggered an authentic infodemic, which is a global epidemic of disinformation that has spread throughout most of the world. Social media platforms and pseudo-media outlets have contributed to the problem by producing and disseminating misleading content that is potentially dangerous to public health. This research focuses on a rather unknown phenomenon, which involves digital sites that mimic the appearance of news media but provide pseudo-information. Five Spanish pseudo-media have been analyzed with the aim of enhancing understanding of the issues and the frames presented. The results show clear links with the far-right ideology as well as the presence of a populist, polarized discourse through the use of belligerent, offensive expressions to refer to institutions and their representatives. Politics is the main issue represented, with a frame that clearly points out the incompetence and cynicism of the Spanish government. Conspiracy theories associate the origins of the pandemic to a Chinese laboratory and emphasize a global plan to establish systemic control. Measures to stop the virus are framed as harmful and ineffective, linked to a euthanasia scheme targeted at older people, especially regarding vaccination, which is presented as a solution offered for economic interests.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2021.685295/fullhyper-partisan mediapolarizationpandemic skepticismCOVID-19right-wing ideologypopulism |
| spellingShingle | Dolors Palau-Sampio Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain Frontiers in Political Science hyper-partisan media polarization pandemic skepticism COVID-19 right-wing ideology populism |
| title | Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain |
| title_full | Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain |
| title_fullStr | Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain |
| title_short | Pseudo-Media Sites, Polarization, and Pandemic Skepticism in Spain |
| title_sort | pseudo media sites polarization and pandemic skepticism in spain |
| topic | hyper-partisan media polarization pandemic skepticism COVID-19 right-wing ideology populism |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpos.2021.685295/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT dolorspalausampio pseudomediasitespolarizationandpandemicskepticisminspain |