Does the platform matter? Social media and COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs in 17 countries
Authors:
- Agnieszka Magdalena Stępińska,
- Yannis Theocharis,
- Ana Cardenal,
- Soyeon Jin,
- Toril Aalberg,
- David Nicolas Hopmann,
- Jesper Strömbäck,
- Laia Castro,
- Frank Esser,
- Peter Van Aelst,
- Claes De Vreese,
- Nicoleta Corbu,
- Karolina Koc-Michalska,
- Joerg Matthes,
- Christian Schemer,
- Tamir Sheafer,
- Sergio Splendore,
- James Stanyer,
- Václav Štětka
Abstract
While the role of social media in the spread of conspiracy theories has received much attention, a key deficit in previous research is the lack of distinction between different types of platforms. This study places the role of social media affordances in facilitating the spread of conspiracy beliefs at the center of its enquiry. We examine the relationship between platform use and conspiracy theory beliefs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the concept of technological affordances, we theorize that variation across key features make some platforms more fertile places for conspiracy beliefs than others. Using data from a crossnational dataset based on a two-wave online survey conducted in 17 countries before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we show that Twitter has a negative effect on conspiracy beliefs—as opposed to all other platforms under examination which are found to have a positive effect.
- Record ID
- UAM1c9125d666674391afd3526c4d814c69
- Author
- Journal series
- New Media & Society, ISSN 1461-4448, e-ISSN 1461-7315
- Issue year
- 2021
- Pages
- 1-26
- Keywords in English
- Affordances, conspiracy theories, COVID-19, misperceptions, social media
- ASJC Classification
- ;
- DOI
- DOI:10.1177/14614448211045666 Opening in a new tab
- URL
- https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211045666 Opening in a new tab
- Language
- eng (en) English
- Score (nominal)
- 200
- Score source
- journalList
- Score
- = 200.0, 15-02-2022, ArticleFromJournal
- Publication indicators
- = 0; : 2018 = 2.835; : 2019 (2 years) = 4.577 - 2019 (5 years) =4.972
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- Uniform Resource Identifier
- https://researchportal.amu.edu.pl/info/article/UAM1c9125d666674391afd3526c4d814c69/
- URN
urn:amu-prod:UAM1c9125d666674391afd3526c4d814c69
* presented citation count is obtained through Internet information analysis and it is close to the number calculated by the Publish or PerishOpening in a new tab system.