The Information Analysis on New Media in Period of Pandemic: An Observation of Infodemics Study case

Abstract

Apart from fighting against pandemics, we are also fighting against infodemics which is a kind of biased information wave that made it difficult for people to receive original information. Such as misinformation, disinformation, rumors, and hoaxes during an emergency, hindering responses, and creating confusion and distrust in society. Here, media platforms have a crucial part in filtering any information before transmitting it through channels of news. However, in the modern era, Social Networking Services (SNS) platforms become a new lifestyle, particularly for receiving and sharing information. Therefore, as information receivers, it becomes essential to understand the information before sharing it with other people. The objective of this present study is to determine the degree of understanding SNS users in receiving and sharing information in their community during the pandemic era. The research method used is a case study approach that examines one case intensively, in-depth, in detail, and comprehensively. The result of this study are (1) during the pandemic, the news they got was about developments in the COVID-19 case in Indonesia, news related to alternative medicines and vaccine drugs. (2) Sources get news information from the social media they use and also the WhatsApp groups they follow, (3) This research indicates that the infodemic is increasingly rampant until now, mass media supervisors are already working to block hoax information, but users who do not have awareness in selecting and sorting news Keyword : Information, New Media, Infodemic, Social Media