Map reveals 'battlegrounds' between anti-vaxxers and pro-vaccination communities on Facebook as they fight to win over those undecided about the treatment


May 14, 2020

Daily Mail

As scientists work tirelessly to develop a vaccine that keeps the deadly coronavirus at bay, the views of anti-vaxxers are running rampant online and influencing communities undecided about the treatment.

Researchers analyzed over 1,300 Facebook pages with 100 million followers to develop a 'battleground' map that shows how distrust in medical guidance is spreading on the web.

While vaccine supporters outnumber anti-vaxxer pages on Facebook, the opposing group has nearly three time as many communities – making it easier for their views to reach the undecided.

In addition, the anti-vaccine groups offer more diverse narratives around vaccines and other health treatments that tend to be more appealing, including conspiracy theories and safety concerns.

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