Conspiracies and Fear in Social Media

       The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of news regarding the recent Ebola outbreak. After the first case of the virus in the United States was diagnosed last week, the spread of panic is amplified in the wake of the groundswell. Instead of people relying on news outlets and verified sources for updates, a large majority of social media users are turning to each other. In most cases, this tendency to refer to peers instead of professionals in the Internet age can be helpful and informative. What about in terms of an international health crisis? In a medium where news and emotions spread like wildfire, social media proves yet again that it is a paradoxical mix of helpful information and a cesspool of bizarre opinions that spill into fear.

How People Deal with Fear in Social Media

hi im ebola and ur watching disney channel pic.twitter.com/OdpgdgFMtw
— (@Dory) October 4, 2014

       Ebola is terrifying. The disease basically causes the infected to bleed internally and externally along with other loss of bodily fluids and organ function. It's contagious and can be incredibly deadly. Because the disease has been diagnosed in the US, the coverage of its wake has been more readily updated and focused upon and has caused varying reaction among the twitterverse.
       As seen in the tweet from parody account Dory there has been a lot of comedic responses in the wake of the epidemic. A common defense mechanism, some twitter users deal with the fear of and the high volume of response to the disease with humor and nonchalance. If you don't make a big deal out of it, it won't become a big deal right?

if i catch ebola my first reaction will be to tweet 'lol i legit have ebola'
— alby (@blemsquad) October 5, 2014

       The problem with this attitude is that it spreads and with social media it can spread in a second. This is not to say that keeping a positive and humorous view on things is a problem - it isn't - the problem comes more with the spread. The more people who see this as a simple issue that can be laughed about, the less forward progress that can be made. More importantly, as twitter user Blemsquad demonstrated in his tweet pictured above, a lot of misinformation is loaded into his tweet and can cause panic in others who might see it out of context. Is it likely for him to catch Ebola? Would it really warrant such a blasé response? The tweet is somewhat harmless, but instead of spreading ignorance or passing the situation off as a humorous one, social media can be used to spread useful information, such as a parody account of popular YouTube personality Jenna Marbles does below.

To everybody who is freaking out about Ebola pic.twitter.com/NbHKg4gIOm
— JENNA MARBLES (@FunnyJokeBook) October 5, 2014

       Jenna (her real twitter can be found here) has over 14 million subscribers on YouTube and is one of the most popular and well-known creators on the video site. Her celebrity and influence has inspired the parody account FunnyJokeBook, where jokes and humorous quips in her signature style are posted. Even though it is a fake account and in no way affiliated with the YouTuber herself, it still carries her name. The account has over 2 million followers and has enough of its own fanbase to make a difference.
       It would be easy for FunnyJokeBook to make a joking tweet such as Dory or Blemsquad did, but instead the account used its power to spread information. They posted a clear and informative infographic explaining how the disease is spread. Not only can this infographic help inform users and followers who see it, but it is also verified by the CDC which brings peace of mind to the information that it is displaying. This parody account uses the power of celebrity with the power of knowledge to bring a wide range of followers to peace of mind.

How the Professionals Deal with It
     

       The CDC has been the obvious purveyor of information on the Ebola outbreak. As seen on their website pictured above, they have converted almost all of their top stories and links to Ebola updates and information. Their twitter features many retweets from their own employees and doctors of quips about how they are "focused" on and "working" with confirmed cases. Tweets (such as the one below) that are directly from the CDC are packed with information and resources for those who are looking. 

CDC experts answered questions yesterday on #Ebola in #CDCChat. Now available on Storify. Get the facts: http://t.co/Bt6AfRGw9N
— CDC (@CDCgov) October 3, 2014

       On October 2nd, the CDC ran a question and answer period on their twitter with the hashtag CDCChat. This allowed users to ask the organization questions about Ebola directly. The twitter account dutifully answered what they could, and made sure to give frequent updates on the confirmed case in Dallas that had a large number of American twitter users nervous and questioning.

       Yes...this is the CDC's responsibility as a governmental operation. They have to inform the public. Twitter gives the center the ability to respond directly to the people, person by person. In a situation like this one, when information is being spread anyway like users mentioned above, it is important for the "professionals" to respond as much as they can to overcome the inevitable misinformation and jokes that can clog a newsfeed. The more that the professionals get involved, the less likely it is that people will remain in the dark.

       The bottom line is that social media is a powerful tool. When something such as this Ebola outbreak occurs, fear rises. Fear spreads. Social media is a catalyst that helps it gain speed and spread quicker. The more accurate information about serious situations that is spread, the more it is likely to quiet the fear. The groundswell proves again that it can be a blessing and a curse.

More resources on the Ebola virus (beyond those listed above):
CDC Communication Resources
WHO Information Resources
International SOS Education Materials