Text Analysis Essay

Text Analysis Essay

Dear Reader,

The text analysis essay will analyze the article “Understanding the Characteristics of COVID-19 Misinformation Communities Through Graphlet Analysis,” I chose this article for various reasons. First, the report explores the link between social media and free speech, establishing a connection that addresses the spread of misinformation. Secondly, the flow of the paper allows readers to follow the message in the article through language and figures used to aid in readers’ understanding. While writing this essay, I began with brainstorming for potential aspects to address by jotting down ideas. Subsequently, I put my thoughts in a draft, which I later revised and proofread hours after the drafting. While drafting, I learned that writing reviews down while they came to me was advantageous. The strength and weakness of my draft is repetition, which is done to pass the targeted message. Please address any rhetorical appeals or fallacies utilized as you review my paper.

Introduction

The article “Understanding The Characteristics Of COVID-19 Misinformation Communities Through Graphlet Analysis” is written by James R. Ashford, Liam D. Turner, Roger M. Whitaker, Alun Preece, and Diane Felmlee. The article was published in the twenty-seventh volume of the Online Social Networks and Media Journal in January 2022. In this text, Ashford et al. illustrate the extent of the influence of free speech on social media with ease in the spread of misinformation (1). Social media platforms provide venues for individuals all over the world to interact. This interaction occurs in various ways to share information. Freedom of speech allows individuals to share their opinions and ideologies without restriction, and subsequently, the information is not regulated. The lack of regulation gives room to sharing fake news, fallacies, and misinformation. The consequences of these actions pose dangers to societies globally. Accordingly, Ashford et al. elaborate on the implications of using the spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic (2). Do you need urgent assignment help ? Get in touch with us at eminencepapers.com. We endeavor to provide you with excellent service.

Additionally, a link is created to illustrate the chances of the reach of fallacies and misinformation based on the various factors that aid this spread (Ashford et al., 10). Subsequently, the article elaborates on predictions of the chances of frequencies and probabilities of misinformation through social media platforms (Reddit) and its users (behaviors) through local and global network metrics analysis using graphlets. This elaboration is achieved by analyzing controversies on social media platforms and grouping groups of users based on the discussions.

The prediction of misinformation depends on social media platforms. Both facts and misinformation spread widely globally on social media platforms, with diverse and multiple social media platforms. This argument illustrates the huge role social media platforms play in the spread of fake news and misinformation. Consistently, individuals share information that may be a piece of misinformation. As other individuals come across this information, they continue sharing it without knowing how reliable that information is to facts (Ashford et al., 2). This indicates the fallacies present on social media, and for errors to dominate, logical fallacies are exploited. In some cases, this misinformation might stem from an appeal to fear, as witnessed globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the logical appeal to fear, an argument is presented as follows,

If you don’t accept X as true, something terrible will happen to you.

Therefore, X must be true.

One of the fallacies shared during this COVID-19 pandemic can be represented;

Individual 1: What will happen if I get the COVID-19 vaccination?

Individual 2: If you get the COVID-19 vaccination, your life expectancy is reduced to 2 years (you will die in two years). Therefore, you should not get the COVID-19 vaccination.

This is a logical fallacy with an appeal to fear that has been trending on social media platforms, including WhatsApp and Twitter. Out of the fear gathered from this fallacy, it is predictable that multiple individuals opt not to get the vaccination that they require. Ashford et al. elaborate on this fact by pointing out some of the platforms that contribute to fallacies, including Reddit and Twitter (2). Further, they illustrate that platforms such as Reddit notify their users that some of the information they come across might contain fake news, leaving the discernment to its users. The consequence is the uncontrollable spread of fallacies as facts globally, increasing the number of individuals coming across this information.

The behavior of individuals on social media platforms solely depends on its users. In the example provided using Reddit, Ashford et al. argue that social media platform users’ behaviors, such as their discerning abilities, depend on the users and not the platforms (2). Accordingly, individuals share ideas, and others come across them and continue sharing these ideas, indicating the shortcomings of living free speech to users without restrictions. Ashford et al. state, “leading to a compound effect where an informal group endorses particular content with a reinforcement across its participant” (2). Moreover, they point out the alternative to censorship of free speech by giving an example using Reddit, whereby users are warned of the potential of fake news. From this argument, Ashford et al. use the rhetorical appeal of logos to convince readers of the role social media platforms’ users play in the spread of misinformation.

The prediction of the frequency of misinformation is illustrated using graphlets. The target of Ashford et al. is to paint a vivid picture for their readers of the frequency and ease of the spread of misinformation. Subsequently, to reach this goal, figures are used to simplify the information being shared with the readers. This simplification illustrates the engagement of the readers. Additionally, there is a lot of repetition of subreddits and their role in spreading misinformation; further, figures represent this factor of subreddits. For newsreader’s awareness, tone and language are simplified, and terms are defined for ease of understanding. The procedure in methodology is extensively elaborated to enable readers to go along with the method followed to result in the discussions that support their argument. Moreover, misinformation, in this case, is based on the COVID-19 pandemic misinformation; the use of the COVID-19 pandemic engages readers because it is a current global problem that all readers can relate to, making the article informative and relevant. Accordingly, the prediction of misinformation spreads awareness amongst readers, pointing out the chances that they might have come across some misinformation.

Consistently, the objective of Ashford et al. is met in the discussion and conclusion. They point out the factors that contribute to the frequency of misinformation spread and the features that favor this spread (Ashford et al., 7). Through comparisons globally and locally, the frequencies and chances of misinformation spread are conducted to allow for the comparisons that contribute to the results obtained. The language used in the discussions and conclusion is easily understandable to engage the readers. The article’s context is also revisited in the forum and decision, where the link between social media platforms and users is established and restated. Additionally, the proof is provided to prevent the sharing of fallacies in their article while addressing the spread of misinformation and errors. Consequently, the objective of the report is met and elaborated in terms of the context of the article, enabling readers to effectively understand and follow the article from its introduction to its conclusion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Ashford et al., in their article “Understanding The Characteristics Of COVID-19 Misinformation Communities Through Graphlet Analysis,” elaborate on the chances and frequencies of the spread of misinformation. Accordingly, their writing is significant because it associates social media platforms with their users and creates a link to misinformation. Subsequently, with a focus on misinformation, Ashford et al. illustrate the frequency and chances of the spread of misinformation globally. To get their point across, they use the COVID-19 pandemic to enable readers to relate to their argument and to remain relevant. The target of this article is readers globally; the report can be addressed among individuals privately and publicly. When addressed publicly, this article can be used to advocate for the need for free speech restrictions on social media platforms. On this note, owners of privately owned social media platforms and governments globally should pay attention to this article’s message. Accordingly, the significance of this article is that it poses enlightenment opportunities to societies worldwide through the transmission in writing of the chances and frequencies of misinformation on social media platforms due to free speech.

References

Ashford, James R. et al. “Understanding The Characteristics Of COVID-19 Misinformation Communities Through Graphlet Analysis”. Online Social Networks And Media, vol 27, 2022, p. 1 – 15. Elsevier BV, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.osnem.2021.100178. Accessed 2 Feb 2022.

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