Mohammed Altayar

Twitter as an Information Dissemination Source for Delivering Crisis Information during the Outbreak of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

Twitter as an information dissemination source for delivering crisis information during the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic. Examine Twitter's vital role for Saudi government agencies in disseminating COVID-19 crisis information. Discover key communication strategies and the impact of a centralized government structure.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the use of Twitter by Saudi government agencies as an information dissemination source to communicate COVID-19-related information. A total of 8,718 tweets from 33 government agencies were collected during a nine-month period from 1 January to 30 September 2020. The results show that Twitter played a dominant role in the crisis communication process. In addition, providing instructions and adjusting information, as well as management reputation, was a basic strategy to respond to the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, communication in terms of topics, actors, style, tones and quantity has changed during different phases of the crisis. The study argues that a centralized and highly organized government structure is particularly important in driving an information and communication strategy to tackle the pandemic, and it helps deliver messages with a common identity that promotes extensive public and government interaction.

Review

This study provides a timely and valuable investigation into the role of Twitter as a crisis communication tool for Saudi government agencies during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. By analyzing a substantial dataset of over 8,700 tweets from 33 agencies over nine months, the research effectively demonstrates Twitter's dominant role in information dissemination. The abstract clearly outlines key findings, including the specific strategies employed (providing instructions, adjusting information, and reputation management) and how communication evolved across different crisis phases. The core argument concerning the importance of a centralized and highly organized government structure for effective crisis communication is particularly insightful, suggesting a critical link between governance models and information strategy during public health emergencies. A significant strength of this research lies in its empirical foundation, leveraging a large and specific dataset to draw conclusions about government communication practices in a unique geopolitical context. The identification of concrete communication strategies offers practical insights for policymakers and crisis communicators. Furthermore, the observation that communication styles and content shifted throughout the crisis phases underscores the dynamic nature of effective public health messaging, adding nuance to our understanding of adaptive communication strategies. The argument for a centralized structure's role in fostering a common identity and promoting public interaction is a crucial theoretical contribution, extending discussions on crisis communication beyond mere platform analysis to consider broader organizational and political factors. While the study presents compelling findings, the abstract leaves some room for further clarification regarding the "extensive public and government interaction" it posits as an outcome of the centralized structure. Future work, or perhaps the full paper, could elaborate on how this interaction was measured or inferred from the government tweets alone, as the study's primary focus appears to be on the government's outward communication. Exploring the public's reception, engagement, and sentiment toward these government messages would provide a more holistic understanding of the communication loop. Additionally, while the Saudi context offers unique insights, a brief discussion of the generalizability of these findings to other governance models or cultural contexts would enhance the study's broader impact.

Full Text

Comments

You need to be logged in to post a comment.