COVID-19 Information on YouTube: Analysis of Quality and Reliability of Videos in Eleven Widely Spoken Languages across Africa.

Kapil Narain Kingsley Appiah BimpongO'Neil Kosasia WamukotaOloruntoba OgunfolajiUdeme-Abasi U NelsonAnirban DuttaAyodeji OgunleyeEileen van der WesthuizenEmmanuel EniAlmthani Hamza AbdalrheemSamuel MesfinAimée Bernice MunezeroNazo NxumaloOkuhle Xozwa

Published in: Global health, epidemiology and genomics (2023)

YouTube is an invaluable, easily accessible resource for information dissemination during health emergencies. Misleading videos are often a concern; however, our study found a negligible proportion. Whilst most videos were fairly reliable, the quality of videos was poor, especially noting a dearth of information covering screening or testing. Governments, academic institutions, and healthcare workers must harness the capability of digital platforms, such as YouTube to contain the spread of misinformation.

Keyphrases

health information
social media
coronavirus disease
healthcare
sars cov
public health
mental health
climate change
human health