Ecology of Misinformation on Social Media and Youth as Determinants of Spread of Fake News: Experience from COVID 19 Pandemic in Delhi

Abstract

Covid-19 has been the talk of the globe since December 2019. The struggle for survival had become the key priority of the day since December 2019, when Covid was first identified in Wuhan, China. It is commonly found and telecasted in media how drastically and tragically Covid-19 affected most developed and developing countries, including India. However, the unmatchable rise of social media has ignited an unparallel circulation of false information in our society. Following a survey by MIT, Boston, US, around 70 percent of fake news related to the Coronavirus already existed on the internet before it even hit India. Youth, the most vulnerable community of our society, has always been a soft target when it comes to spreading fake news on social media, as they represent the largest chunk of internet users in urban and rural India, according to IAMAI (Internet and Mobile Association of India). This paper discusses the systematic dissemination of misleading information and youth being potential determinants of fake news on social media during the times of Covid 19 and triggering mass hysteria in society, particularly in Delhi. This research paper is based on secondary data drawn from research papers, essays, book chapters, and internet resources like video discussions, etc., relevant to my research topic.