Rumor Propagation Analysis during COVID-19 Outbreak

Student: Rondonuwu Clara christina

Educational Programme: Data Journalism (Master)

Final Grade: 8

Year of Graduation: 2020

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we witnessed the flourishing rumors of wild animals reclaiming urban spaces in quarantined cities. Hundreds of thousands of retweets generate in one minute, rapid amplitude builds up as people spread the information without questioning its accuracy. This dissertation uses graph visualization within a social network analysis study to explore information flow and mine propagation patterns from five popular rumors featuring animals. Ultimately, this study illustrates how information without a diffusion pattern is a set of isolated statements, whereas a diffusion pattern without information is a network without meaning. Together, information and the diffusion pattern of rumor determine the best strategy available to reduce society's vulnerability disinformation in times of high information, uncertainty, and anxiety.

Full text (added May 19, 2020)

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