{"id":493,"date":"2021-06-12T21:34:21","date_gmt":"2021-06-12T21:34:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberthreatintelligencenetwork.com\/?p=493"},"modified":"2024-06-10T23:27:22","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T23:27:22","slug":"vaccine-misinformation-campaigns-on-social-media-platforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cyberthreatintelligencenetwork.com\/index.php\/2021\/06\/12\/vaccine-misinformation-campaigns-on-social-media-platforms\/","title":{"rendered":"Social Media Misinformation Campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cVaccination is the most effective method of preventing infectious diseases<\/em>\u201d<\/span>
<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

– World Health Organization (WHO), 2021 <\/h4>\n\n\n

Guest Post by<\/em>: Shifa Ai<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Two years ago, if I were to be researching an article about vaccine misinformation, it would likely be about the resurgence of measles in communities whose residents have been turning down recommended vaccines for their school-aged children. Maybe I would be writing about flu vaccination coverage, or perhaps the efficacy of the Gardasil vaccine in preventing HPV-related cancers. While people refuse vaccines for a variety of reasons, often these reasons are fueled by personal or emotional fears instead of logical, scientifically significant evidence and\/or a qualified medical recommendation.<\/p>\n

For every vaccine, there are health-related reasons whereby certain members of the population cannot be vaccinated\u2014for example, some people are too young, whereas others may be allergic to specific vaccine ingredients.

A quick google search on the sentiment “personal objections to vaccines” will provide thousands of sources to reinforce their predisposition towards vaccine risks. And, a poor understanding of basic cellular biology will only help to reinforce people\u2019s misunderstanding of vaccine science and the individual and public health risks associated with vaccine use or disuse. In the measles resurgence, many parents cited a fear of their child developing autism as the reason for rejecting the vaccine, yet no peer-reviewed studies yet have linked vaccines to the development of autism despite thousands of online sources claiming they do.<\/p>\n\n\n

These kinds of misinformation campaigns use vulnerable netizens as vectors for false medical research and public health information, only serving to increase and convolute the stigma associated with both autism and the administration of life-saving vaccines.  Other personal rejections to vaccines may include that they were produced using bacterial or animal material and some consider them to be inhumane and\/or unclean because of the perceived implications of their ingredients. For example, HEK-293, a kidney cell line isolated from an aborted fetus in 1973, has been used in the development of life-saving vaccines in the past; those opposed to the use of human tissues in vaccines often cite HEK-293 as a reason for their ethical or religious rejection of vaccines overall. In fact, HEK-293 was not used in the developmental stage of the Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines, and institutions like the Catholic church have issued statements to certify that taking these vaccines still adheres to the moral code of their religion. Unfortunately, recent polls show around half of vaccine rejectors still believe vaccines are a direct cause of autism.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"