The Impact of social media on Youth in the UAE during the Pandemic

Almansour, Norah; Mellor, Noha

المجلة الجزائرية للاتصال
Volume 25, Numéro 2, Pages 97-113
2023-12-01

The Impact Of Social Media On Youth In The Uae During The Pandemic

Authors : Almansour Norah . Mellor Noha .

Abstract

Social media platforms have become popular sources of information, especially during crises like the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the spread of misinformation and disinformation on these platforms has been a significant issue, with more than 50% of the available information being inaccurate or misleading. The youth in the UAE, who constitute the majority of the population, were studied to explore how they used social media during the pandemic and how this contributed to spreading misinformation. It is argued that the increased social media use among youth during the pandemic led to the spread of misinformation, causing distress and anxiety. However, the youth took action to fact-check and verify false information. To combat information disorder, education about persuasive techniques to spread misinformation and access to fact-checking tools are necessary, and so is diversifying media exposure to minimize the impact of filter bubbles.