Extracting and categorising the reactions to COVID-19 by the South African public -- A social media study
This incremental work addresses understanding public-government communication gaps during disasters for policymakers and researchers in South Africa and similar contexts.
The study analyzed South African social media discussions about COVID-19 to compare public topics with government regulations, finding both similarities and differences. It established a framework for semi-automated analysis of public opinion during pandemics to inform future government communication.
Social Media can be used to extract discussion topics during a disaster. With the COVID-19 pandemic impact on South Africa, we need to understand how the law and regulation promulgated by the government in response to the pandemic contrasts with discussion topics social media users have been engaging in. In this work, we expand on traditional media analysis by using Social Media discussions driven by or directed to South African government officials. We find topics that are similar as well as different in some cases. The findings can inform further study into social media during disaster settings in South Africa and beyond. This paper sets a framework for future analysis in understanding the opinions of the public during a pandemic and how these opinions can be distilled [in a semi-automated approach] to inform government communication in the future.