COVID-19: analysis of disinformation spread in the media of Kazakhstan in 2020

Abstract

The research material will include a content analysis pf disinformation published in 2020. The influence and harm of manipulative and provocative information on society, the lack of media literacy and the main motives for the perception of information by Kazakhstanis are considered and studied.

Three different types of misinformation were selected for the study. In particular, the information disseminated by a network user named Sisembek Oshak will relate to disinformation disseminated on behalf of  Zhaksylyk Doskaliev, who was ex-Minister of Health during the pandemic and disinformation of a member of the National Council in a newspaper that was declared misinformed.

The study thoroughly examines the permissibility of manipulations by parties spreading false information, the dissemination of a provocation message to a large audience without any facts, the main mistakes in their actions. It is based on the issues of the influence of disinformation on the audience, the reverse forecast of clickbait and the responsibility of the distributor of information.