Social media platforms are a hot topic as Covid cases continue to rise in some parts of the United States, and vaccines slowing down. Many Americans, especially Washington Democrats, believe online misinformation is the root of the faltering vaccination campaign. The mood was summed up by President Joe Biden's suggestion that Facebook was killing people. This triggered weeks of media attention. He later clarified that he was speaking about the misinformation purveyors, not Facebook. Then, late last Wednesday, Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota introduced a bill to remove Section 230 immunity for vaccine content promoted via social media algorithms.The Klobuchar bill is a apt symbol for misinformation and the confusion that surrounds it. It would direct the government on what constitutes misinformation, and then treat content differently based on that decision. This would likely violate the First Amendment. Klobuchar's proposal won't become law. It is known as a messaging bill. The message seems to be that social media platforms need to do something to close the vaccine gap and end the pandemic.However, this focus may miss the point. In the US, vaccine hesitancy seems to be a top-down phenomenon. Elite messaging influences public behavior. According to multiple surveys, only 10% of adult Democrats were not vaccinated as of last month. This compares to almost 50% of Republicans. Access is still a problem for some Americans. However, the most common reasons people don't get the shot are willingness and not ability. My former colleague Daniel Engber pointed out in The Atlantic that this partisan gap was remarkably stable and predated Fox News' recent shift toward vaccine-skeptical coverage. Engber believes that the root cause of the partisan divide could be the fact that Republicans were less concerned about Covid during the pandemic than Democrats. Donald Trump, the country's most powerful Republican, was relentless in minimizing the danger of the disease, even during his own hospitalization. Millions followed his lead. Research shows that Americans' perception of Covid-19 is affected by their scientific literacy and demographics. It also depends on whether they trust Fox News and Breitbart more than CNN and The New York Times. Although viral rumors may have increased the gap, it is clear that Republican Party messaging was responsible for it, as well as its traditional media architecture.It is also wrong to assume that anti-vaccine sentiments are based solely on misinformation. Recent polling and news reports have provided insight into the motivations behind vaccine-reluctants. Their hesitation is often due to the fact that we don't know the long-term side effects of vaccines. Another reason is that none of the vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Technically, both of these facts can be confirmed. These facts are technically true. They are not. They aren't false.It's the same with much anti-vaccine messaging. Many people who claim they are afraid of side effects have believed false rumors that vaccines could harm fertility or alter one's DNA. Many are responding to genuine, if not rare, side effects. The government actually stopped the Johnson & Johnson vaccine's administration due to a rare blood-clot disorder. Drug companies are really greedy. A simple fact presented in a misleading context can scare people away.
