The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us that social media can be a double-edged sword. The challenge is to use it for social connectedness, rather than the spread of misinformation and anxiety, isolating us in our own digital spaces.

“Whoever controls the media, controls the mind.”
– Jim Morrison

While the last few months witnessed a global health threat named Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the spread of information about the pandemic was much faster than the virus itself. There has not been a single day since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a ‘public health emergency’ that I have not come across messages, memes or videos related to COVID-content, going widely viral on social media. And then, there is a plethora of information about the outbreak-statistics (number of cases, causalities in every single geographical distribution), being fed to the people 24/7 daily.

As billions are isolated or quarantined at home, in an attempt to contain the infection, ‘digital screen time’ exposure has increased with much more penetration of media. The ‘information pollution’ about COVID-19 every single day adds to the already existing uncertainty and panic about the virus and lockdown. People have often been seen with their eyes glued to their television, laptop or mobile screen, busy consuming news feeds related to coronavirus. This often assumes a ‘compulsive’ nature, with the need to stay updated about every single facet of the illness – further increasing the psychological discomfort and physical unrest.

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Role of social media

Contrary to popular belief, COVID-19 is not the first digital infodemic. In the recent past, the outbreaks of Zika in Brazil, Ebola in Africa, Influenza in Europe and Nipah in India had similar bi-directional relationships with media. However, the degree of media-panic, the amount of media consumption and the consequent change in public reaction have been paramount during COVID-19, especially considering that the modern world has been unprepared for such a large-scale biological disaster.

An article titled ‘Pandemics, Plagues and Panic’ (2009) in the British Journalism Review highlights how the spread of an outbreak and the resultant human behaviour can be influenced significantly by the flow and vectors of information. Health communication and understanding of public health depends a lot on how the data about an illness is interpreted by the masses. Within every bit of news, there can be a potential admixture of ‘fake information’. This health-related misinformation becomes all the more crucial during a pandemic like COVID-19 when the fear of an unknown infection without a definitive cure mixed with an anxious mind tends to easily accept fast solutions and theories, irrespective of visible loopholes in their logic and reasoning.

One senseless forward of a wrong message in wrong hands can snowball the spread, increasing the acceptability as it moves along the chain. Often, names of credible public health agencies, like the WHO, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), etc. are tagged along wrongly to make the piece of false news more acceptable. Similar messages were being circulated during the first wave of infection in China, implicating ‘biological weaponry’ in the manufacture of Coronavirus. It, unfortunately, remained viral on various social media platforms for more than two weeks till WHO finally rubbished it.

The impact of misinformation

The impact that misinformation can have on human behaviour is remarkable. It can range from faulty treatments, non-compliance to precautionary measures, panic, mass-hysteria, agitation and competition for health-care resources. On the other hand, relevant and timely information has shown to improve preparedness for infectious diseases and strengthen public health infrastructure. Social media, thus, can be a double-edged sword.

A review by Kadam and Atre (2020) in the Journal of Travel Medicine points out that social media reach has risen three times during the lockdown period in India, with COVID-19 related-search spiking significantly. The inherent insecurity and lack of daily structure that strikes us during lockdown make us feel inadequate without the constant feed of health-related information. It is indeed extremely challenging to tip a fine balance between the toxic overuse of technology versus healthy and systematic harnessing of health data. Many distress calls that we cater to nowadays are related to compulsive use of the internet and social media leading to health anxiety, somatic complaints, anxiety, depressive disorders, agitation and insomnia.

On a different note, children and adolescents being exposed to more online time tend to develop technology and gaming addiction. It is vital to remember that certain unhealthy habits will long outlast the pandemic to cause continued problems to life. Furthermore, social media related to blame and othering can also lead to stigma, marginalisation, communalism and violence, especially at such times of crisis. People from the North-East, certain religious communities and lower socio-economic classes, like the migrants and homeless, have already been victims of such stigmatisation related to COVID-19 in India.

Striking digital balance

Is information dissemination all that bad? Not at all! History has proven that continued and timely liaison between media personnel and the scientific community can help immensely for the Information-Education-Communication (IEC) outreach in the community. The increased use of social media can be a powerful tool for debunking misinformation itself. The linkage of various media platforms with scientific databases can provide appropriate search-guidance. Content analysis of the search data gives useful information about the search trends, the popular ‘sought for’ information and the unmet needs for data that can then be harnessed for authentic updates and fighting false news.

Awareness for healthy use of technology can be spread by social media itself with administrative reforms regulating unnecessary forwards and rumours related to the pandemic. We need to understand that while we need information, an overload of statistics about every single aspect of the virus makes no sense to the masses. It will do more harm than good. Maintaining a conscious and informed distance from social media can help increase the ‘COVID-free’ time, which is necessary for mental wellbeing.

Technology can be used for social connectedness than isolating us in our own digital spaces. What we want most is to prevent COVID-19 from invading our mental peace. So, let us try and practise ‘digital distancing’. To quote Abraham Lincoln, “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most”.

(The author is a Geriatric Psychiatrist, NIMHANS, India)