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Social Media Ethics and COVID-19

Well-Being, Truth, Misinformation, and Authenticity

Edited by Pamela A. Zeiser and Berrin A. Beasley - Contributions by Berrin A. Beasley; Miles C. Coleman; Mitchell R. Haney; Heidi J. Hanson; Annette M. Holba; Linda Howell; Tammy Swenson-Lepper and Pamela A. Zeiser

Social Media Ethics and COVID-19: Well-Being, Truth, Misinformation and Authenticity explores ways that some of the best and worst moments of the pandemic resulted from the interconnection of social media and ethics. The ethical challenges social media poses for corporate providers, government officials, and users existed well before the outbreak of COVID-19: What responsibility do corporate providers bear for inaccurate information posted by users? What responsibility do users bear? In this “post-truth” and polarized world, who defines “accurate information”? During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, public health agencies, emergency management agencies, and traditional news media used social media to disseminate or to track information, while users found communities for shared values or experiences. At the same time, users posted and amplified inaccurate or misleading scientific and health information, engaged in hate, and escalated conspiracy theories that have proven detrimental to the public health response to COVID-19. Edited by Pamela A. Zeiser and Berrin A. Beasley, this collection brings together work from leading scholars in communication, English, philosophy, and political science to examine the ethical use of social media during COVID-19, offering both a multidisciplinary understanding of the subject and tools for managing the challenges found at the intersection of social media, ethics, and COVID-19.

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  • Author
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  • TOC
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Lexington Books
Pages: 170 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-66691-186-2 • Hardback • November 2022 • $105.00 • (£81.00)
978-1-66691-188-6 • Paperback • May 2024 • $39.99 • (£30.00)
978-1-66691-187-9 • eBook • November 2022 • $38.00 • (£30.00)
Subjects: Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Social Science / Media Studies, Social Science / Disease & Health Issues

Berrin A. Beasley is professor in the School of Communication at the University of North Florida.

Pamela A. Zeiser is professor of political science at the University of North Florida.

Introduction by Berrin A. Beasley and Pamela A. Zeiser

Part I: Social Media, COVID-19, and Truth

Chapter 1: Attempting to Stop the Spread: Epistemic Responsibility and Platformed Responses to the COVID-19 “Infodemic” by Miles C. Coleman

Chapter 2: Hashtag Populism: Plandemics, Scamdemics, and Viral Resistance by Linda Howell

Chapter 3: Social Media, COVID-19, Misinformation, and Ethics: A Descriptive Study of American Adults' Perceptions by Tammy Swenson-Lepper and Heidi J. Hanson

Part II: Social Media, COVID-19, and Well-Being

Chapter 4: Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Leisure through Social Media by Annette M. Holba

Chapter 5: COVID-19 at the Nexus of Social Media and Propaganda: Public Health Messaging on Twitter Amidst Political Polarization by Berrin A. Beasley and Pamela A. Zeiser

Chapter 6: Divisiveness, Meaningful Lives, and the Hope of Compassion: Social Media in the Time of COVID-19 by Mitchell R. Haney

Social Media Ethics and COVID-19 explores how the recent pandemic changed our relationship with social media both for the better and for the worse. Bringing together scholars from social sciences and humanities, this volume addresses urgent and vexing issues to steer us through the rough waters of tribalism and misinformation towards healthy uses of social media for information and human connection.


— John Ferre, University of Louisville


Zeiser and Beasley provide a thought-provoking, multidisciplinary collection that asks crucial, timely questions concerning the ethical responsibility of social media engagement in an era of disinformation and misinformation. Through pointed examination of the contemporary digital landscape, these essays explore the complexity surrounding the amalgamate of social media and Covid-19, coupled with issues connected to personal well-being. Made increasingly salient by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, this collection is a fascinating addition to digitally focused scholarship that provides a better understanding of the ethical dimensions, both positive and negative, of our multifaceted social media landscape.


— Mary Beth Ray, Plymouth State University


This book alerts us to the potential consequences that may come with technology advancements if we do not take the accompanied ethical concerns seriously. Aside from the novelty of the topics, another appealing feature of this book to me is its accessibility. I went in worrying that many aspects of technologies covered in the book can be difficult to understand for a lay person like me with little knowledge about computer science or software engineering. However, as I start reading, I found the chapters did a great job explaining the digital infrastructures needed for understanding the ethical discussions. This book would be a great resource for media ethics educators who want to find the most cuttingedge case studies about the ethics of new media technology. The book may also inspire research on the application of the media technologies in journalism, public relations, advertising, and entertainment media, with some theoretical foundations laid out. I would also recommend it to anyone interested in the philosophy of technology and/or teaching a graduate seminar on the topic.


— Journal of Media Ethics


Social Media Ethics and COVID-19

Well-Being, Truth, Misinformation, and Authenticity

Cover Image
Hardback
Paperback
eBook
Summary
Summary
  • Social Media Ethics and COVID-19: Well-Being, Truth, Misinformation and Authenticity explores ways that some of the best and worst moments of the pandemic resulted from the interconnection of social media and ethics. The ethical challenges social media poses for corporate providers, government officials, and users existed well before the outbreak of COVID-19: What responsibility do corporate providers bear for inaccurate information posted by users? What responsibility do users bear? In this “post-truth” and polarized world, who defines “accurate information”? During the height of the COVID-19 crisis, public health agencies, emergency management agencies, and traditional news media used social media to disseminate or to track information, while users found communities for shared values or experiences. At the same time, users posted and amplified inaccurate or misleading scientific and health information, engaged in hate, and escalated conspiracy theories that have proven detrimental to the public health response to COVID-19. Edited by Pamela A. Zeiser and Berrin A. Beasley, this collection brings together work from leading scholars in communication, English, philosophy, and political science to examine the ethical use of social media during COVID-19, offering both a multidisciplinary understanding of the subject and tools for managing the challenges found at the intersection of social media, ethics, and COVID-19.

Details
Details
  • Lexington Books
    Pages: 170 • Trim: 6¼ x 9½
    978-1-66691-186-2 • Hardback • November 2022 • $105.00 • (£81.00)
    978-1-66691-188-6 • Paperback • May 2024 • $39.99 • (£30.00)
    978-1-66691-187-9 • eBook • November 2022 • $38.00 • (£30.00)
    Subjects: Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Social Science / Media Studies, Social Science / Disease & Health Issues
Author
Author
  • Berrin A. Beasley is professor in the School of Communication at the University of North Florida.

    Pamela A. Zeiser is professor of political science at the University of North Florida.

Table of Contents
Table of Contents
  • Introduction by Berrin A. Beasley and Pamela A. Zeiser

    Part I: Social Media, COVID-19, and Truth

    Chapter 1: Attempting to Stop the Spread: Epistemic Responsibility and Platformed Responses to the COVID-19 “Infodemic” by Miles C. Coleman

    Chapter 2: Hashtag Populism: Plandemics, Scamdemics, and Viral Resistance by Linda Howell

    Chapter 3: Social Media, COVID-19, Misinformation, and Ethics: A Descriptive Study of American Adults' Perceptions by Tammy Swenson-Lepper and Heidi J. Hanson

    Part II: Social Media, COVID-19, and Well-Being

    Chapter 4: Exploring the Impact of COVID-19 on Leisure through Social Media by Annette M. Holba

    Chapter 5: COVID-19 at the Nexus of Social Media and Propaganda: Public Health Messaging on Twitter Amidst Political Polarization by Berrin A. Beasley and Pamela A. Zeiser

    Chapter 6: Divisiveness, Meaningful Lives, and the Hope of Compassion: Social Media in the Time of COVID-19 by Mitchell R. Haney

Reviews
Reviews
  • Social Media Ethics and COVID-19 explores how the recent pandemic changed our relationship with social media both for the better and for the worse. Bringing together scholars from social sciences and humanities, this volume addresses urgent and vexing issues to steer us through the rough waters of tribalism and misinformation towards healthy uses of social media for information and human connection.


    — John Ferre, University of Louisville


    Zeiser and Beasley provide a thought-provoking, multidisciplinary collection that asks crucial, timely questions concerning the ethical responsibility of social media engagement in an era of disinformation and misinformation. Through pointed examination of the contemporary digital landscape, these essays explore the complexity surrounding the amalgamate of social media and Covid-19, coupled with issues connected to personal well-being. Made increasingly salient by the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, this collection is a fascinating addition to digitally focused scholarship that provides a better understanding of the ethical dimensions, both positive and negative, of our multifaceted social media landscape.


    — Mary Beth Ray, Plymouth State University


    This book alerts us to the potential consequences that may come with technology advancements if we do not take the accompanied ethical concerns seriously. Aside from the novelty of the topics, another appealing feature of this book to me is its accessibility. I went in worrying that many aspects of technologies covered in the book can be difficult to understand for a lay person like me with little knowledge about computer science or software engineering. However, as I start reading, I found the chapters did a great job explaining the digital infrastructures needed for understanding the ethical discussions. This book would be a great resource for media ethics educators who want to find the most cuttingedge case studies about the ethics of new media technology. The book may also inspire research on the application of the media technologies in journalism, public relations, advertising, and entertainment media, with some theoretical foundations laid out. I would also recommend it to anyone interested in the philosophy of technology and/or teaching a graduate seminar on the topic.


    — Journal of Media Ethics


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