Classifying and Countering Social Transmission and Fake News in Thailand During the COVID-19 Crisis

<p class="ql-align-justify">This research project analyzes news transmission in Thai communities during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to offer recommendations that may lead to greater levels of trust in the dissemination of communication during times of future destabilization. The research team used mixed-methods to gather information on news related to COVID-19 and the role of Thai people in spreading those news stories. The purposively-selected sample consisted of members of the Thai public and Village Health Volunteers (VHV) in urban and rural communities. Data was collected through questionnaires, in-depth interviews, and group discussions. The results show that fake news disseminated during the COVID-19 outbreak from March 2020 to July 2021 can be classified into seven categories. The general population consumed news and information from online channels, although most tended to only follow subjects of personal interest. Most people spread news to relatives, close friends, and colleagues, with some sharing stories publicly on their social media accounts. The main reasons for spreading news were the perceived benefits to the recipients and the trust in reliable news sources. Factors affecting news transmission and decision-making were both external and internal. The results lead to discussions about the nature of news transmission in the age of the internet and public understanding of internet privacy.</p>