Epidemiological models can study the spread of misinformation online.

Evidence

In March 2020, in light of the viral spread of (mis)information, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a worldwide ‘infodemic’ (one indicator of the infodemic was that a Covid-19 related tweet appeared every 45 milliseconds in 2020). Moreover, this isn’t just a metaphor; we can apply models from epidemiology to study the spread of ‘information pathogens’ on social media. — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 342

Categorization

• CANDY: A Covid-19 related tweet appeared every 45 milliseconds in 2020.
• XREF: connects to: Misinformation spread online can be modeled as an epidemic using the SIR model — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 445; Inoculation can spread socially like herd immunity against misinformation — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects…, 989; Celebrity endorsement and social media platforms drive the spread of pseudoscience — W. David Marx, Blank Space: A Cultural History of the…, 597 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Misinformation spread online can be modeled as an epidemic using the SIR model #expands (0.85) — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 445
• Celebrity endorsement and social media platforms drive the spread of pseudoscience #exemplifies (0.80) — W. David Marx, Blank Space, 597
• Inoculation can spread socially like herd immunity against misinformation #expands (0.75) — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 989