The Effect of Social Media on Shaping Perception and Attitude Amongst Youngsters Towards Covid-19 and Covid-19 Vaccination in Pekanbaru City
Monika, Winda- Amelia, Vita- Nasution, Arbi Haza- Nasution, Hafiza Oktasia

Universitas Lancang Kuning, Universitas Islam Riau, Universitas Riau

Abstract

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, commonly known as COVID-19 during these past two years has been globally spread, infecting and even killing millions of people around the world. Despite the number of infection and death cases are growing up rapidly day by day in Indonesia, many Indonesians are still disbelieving on the existence of the COVID-19 and the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines due to fake news on social medias that are spreading massively and contaminating like a virus in the society. This study aims to analyze the role of social media on shaping the perception and attitude amongst youngsters towards COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines in Riau Province. The study analyzes the information on social medias by youngsters to seek the information about COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines that effects their perception (i.e., experience, understanding, and knowledge) and attitude (i.e., social distancing, washing hands, wearing masker, taking COVID-19 vaccines, and avoiding). We conducted a survey on 600 students across three universities in Pekanbaru City- Universitas Lancang Kuning, Universitas Riau, and Universitas Islam Riau. From the findings, we classify the respondents into four different groups based on the exposure of information related to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines and the perception and attitude towards them. The findings show the possibility of fake news related with COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines massively spread across social medias since the biggest group in this study is from ^high exposure of information related to COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccines AND negative perception and attitude towards them^.

Keywords: social media, perception, attitude, youngster, covid-19, vaccinations.

Topic: Other Social Sciences Studies