Vaccine skeptics tend to express greater criticism towards the government rather than the vaccine, suggests research findings.
How Clickbait Headlines Thrive in Kazakhstani Media, Aiding Anti-Vaxxers. In the realm of Kazakhstani media, clickbait headlines are a thriving phenomenon, potentially lending a hand to the anti-vaccination movement. The study conducted by experts at DM "Technology" gives us a glimpse into the attitudes of Kazakhstanis towards vaccination, involving 170,000 online publications about vaccines.
The Vaccine Debate in KazakhstanThe debate around vaccines in Kazakhstan is not as straightforward as it appears. Most online negativity does not necessarily target the vaccines themselves, but rather criticism towards the government, ministries, and local officials for insufficient information about the vaccine and the vaccination process. This critique often transforms into indirect anti-vaccination sentiment, especially among users who are unsure about the vaccines due to the information vacuum. These masked anti-vaxxers find allies in the media, particularly TV news, which disseminates sensationalist headlines.
Interest in QazVacAccording to the study, from April 4 to May 9, 168,900 publications about vaccines were made, with a surge in interest for the Kazakhstani vaccine QazVac at the end of April. This surge was likely due to shipping of the first batch of QazVac, announcements about the third phase of QazVac's trials, and the commencement of vaccinations with QazVac. However, it's notable that interest in the topic significantly drops in the first two days of each week, reflecting people returning to their work routines and being caught up in their day-to-day lives.
Ignorance and DoubtThe researchers reported numerous negative publications on topics related to COVID-19 vaccines, without specific vaccine producer mentions. These publications collectively totaled 115,000 and were primarily in Kazakh, with about 44% being on Facebook. Among the most popular statements, the proportion of direct anti-vaccine activists' calls for boycotts was relatively low. Instead, there was widespread criticism of officials for inadequately explaining the vaccination process, side effects, and contraindications. Furthermore, there was criticism that the Ministry of Health was excessively pressuring medical workers to increase vaccination numbers without providing sufficient information.
Media's Role in the Spread of MisinformationMedia, despite inadvertently contributing to the issue, amplifies this confusion through the use of sensationalist clickbait headlines. Many Kazakhstanis may read only the headline and be convinced that the vaccine is dangerous, particularly in the case of television media. Anti-vaxxers often take advantage of these reports by distorting the real picture, cutting the introductory sections, and sharing it widespread on social media. Even when medical experts provide balanced opinions in these reports, their appearance often comes later in the segment, and not all users watch to the end.
A Dependence on Russian Vaccines?The study identified 31,400 mentions related to the Russian vaccine "Sputnik V" and 22,000 mentions related to the Kazakhstani vaccine QazVac, from April 4 to May 9. While there was criticism of the lack of transparency in Russian vaccine trials and skepticism towards statements made by neighboring country politicians, the majority of negative mentions were in Kazakh, hinting at the Kazakhstanis' growing mistrust in the domestic vaccine. This distrust arose due to concerns about research data on the development of QazVac and the accusation that QazVac is actually a Chinese drug with a rebranded label.
Sinophobia and Other VaccinesThe study also identified 3,200 mentions related to the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine and 2,200 mentions related to the AstraZeneca vaccine during the same period. While negative mentions of Sinopharm were relatively low, Kazakhstanis expressed concerns about the purchase of Sinopharm for NWF "Samruk-Kazyna" employees, seeing it as an example of discrimination between "ours" and "theirs," and as a lack of support for domestic drug developers. The AstraZeneca vaccine faced negative opinions due to perceived government allocation of resources for the Russian vaccine instead of domestic development, and claims that expensive components were being purchased to profit from citizens.
The Impact of ClickbaitResearchers noted that there are too many posts in the format of "I'm not against vaccines, but I'm scared because the government is silent or not telling the whole truth." These posts attract like-minded doubters and outright anti-vaxxers in the comments, reinforcing each other with various complaints about officials, speculations, and conspiracy theories, potentially radicalizing some doubters to become avid anti-vaxxers. The misinformation ecosystem in Kazakhstan seems to thrive on these fear-mongering clickbait headlines, creating challenges for public health officials and vaccine advocates in their fight against vaccine hesitancy.
- The study at DM "Technology" reveals a significant number of online publications about vaccines in Kazakhstan, totalling 170,000 during the timeframe.
- Criticism towards the government, ministries, and local officials for insufficient information about vaccines often results in indirect anti-vaccination sentiment among users.
- Among the most popular statements in negative publications about COVID-19 vaccines, there was widespread criticism of the Ministry of Health for not providing sufficient information to medical workers.
- Anti-vaxxers opportunistically utilize sensationalist clickbait headlines, distorting the real picture and propagating misinformation about vaccines on social media.
- Sensationalist headlines, whether intentional or not, contribute to the confusion about vaccines and potentially radicalize some doubters into becoming avid anti-vaxxers.
- In the realm of chronic-kidney-disease or mental-health management, the importance of correct information from trusted sources such as scientific publications, medical experts, fitness-and-exercise guides, and nutritionists cannot be overstated.
- With the rise of digital health-and-wellness resources, it is essential to promote responsible reporting and balanced information to combat misinformation and support informed decision-making in medical-conditions discussions.
