Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic
This study is based on a content analysis of 238 forwarded messages sent to a public fact-checking group on WhatsApp in Singapore during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand what types of information people would submit for fact-checking, allowing insights into possible motiva...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/178273 |
| _version_ | 1826110429831626752 |
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| author | Tandoc, Edson C. Seet, Seth Mak, Weng Wai Lua, Ker Hian |
| author2 | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information |
| author_facet | Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information Tandoc, Edson C. Seet, Seth Mak, Weng Wai Lua, Ker Hian |
| author_sort | Tandoc, Edson C. |
| collection | NTU |
| description | This study is based on a content analysis of 238 forwarded messages sent to a public fact-checking group on WhatsApp in Singapore during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand what types of information people would submit for fact-checking, allowing insights into possible motivations behind the use of fact-checking services. Focusing on content characteristics, we examined the range of topics, valence, and facticity of the messages forwarded to the WhatsApp group to be fact-checked. The most common topic was public policy and action; most of the messages focused on negative aspects; and nearly half of the messages were either partly or entirely inaccurate. Comparing the distribution of messages across a six-month period, we found that content characteristics varied over time. As the situation worsened in Singapore, with number of cases increasing and more regulations implemented by the government, the messages shared to be authenticated focused more on public policy, became more negative, and contained more inaccuracies. These findings indicate that the types of information people seek to authenticate are those that have utility; are important and consequential; are likely to inform their actions and decisions; and can aid them in sense-making. |
| first_indexed | 2024-10-01T02:34:17Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | ntu-10356/178273 |
| institution | Nanyang Technological University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-10-01T02:34:17Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | ntu-10356/1782732024-06-10T05:31:11Z Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic Tandoc, Edson C. Seet, Seth Mak, Weng Wai Lua, Ker Hian Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information School of Humanities Computer and Information Science Information verification WhatsApp This study is based on a content analysis of 238 forwarded messages sent to a public fact-checking group on WhatsApp in Singapore during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand what types of information people would submit for fact-checking, allowing insights into possible motivations behind the use of fact-checking services. Focusing on content characteristics, we examined the range of topics, valence, and facticity of the messages forwarded to the WhatsApp group to be fact-checked. The most common topic was public policy and action; most of the messages focused on negative aspects; and nearly half of the messages were either partly or entirely inaccurate. Comparing the distribution of messages across a six-month period, we found that content characteristics varied over time. As the situation worsened in Singapore, with number of cases increasing and more regulations implemented by the government, the messages shared to be authenticated focused more on public policy, became more negative, and contained more inaccuracies. These findings indicate that the types of information people seek to authenticate are those that have utility; are important and consequential; are likely to inform their actions and decisions; and can aid them in sense-making. Ministry of Education (MOE) This research is supported by the WhatsApp Research Award and the Singapore Ministry of Education Tier 1Grant [RG97/21]. 2024-06-10T05:31:11Z 2024-06-10T05:31:11Z 2024 Journal Article Tandoc, E. C., Seet, S., Mak, W. W. & Lua, K. H. (2024). Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic. Behaviour and Information Technology, 1-11. https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0144929X.2024.2318613 0144-929X https://hdl.handle.net/10356/178273 10.1080/0144929X.2024.2318613 2-s2.0-85186467273 1 11 en RG97/21 Behaviour and Information Technology © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. All rights reserved. |
| spellingShingle | Computer and Information Science Information verification Tandoc, Edson C. Seet, Seth Mak, Weng Wai Lua, Ker Hian Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title | Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Content tracing: examining fact-checking via a WhatsApp group during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | content tracing examining fact checking via a whatsapp group during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Computer and Information Science Information verification |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10356/178273 |
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