Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19

The COVID-19 crisis was accompanied by an “infodemic” of disinformation on an unprecedented scale. Governments had to tackle the detrimental effects of disinformation on society by adopting various communicative strategies. This study uses a critical discourse analysis to investigate to what extent...

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Main Authors: Evelien Vandecraen, Lieve Vangehuchten, Ana María Fernández Vallejo
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Ediciones Complutense 2025-05-01
Series:Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación
Subjects:
Online Access:https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/CLAC/article/view/85360
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author Evelien Vandecraen
Lieve Vangehuchten
Ana María Fernández Vallejo
author_facet Evelien Vandecraen
Lieve Vangehuchten
Ana María Fernández Vallejo
author_sort Evelien Vandecraen
collection DOAJ
description The COVID-19 crisis was accompanied by an “infodemic” of disinformation on an unprecedented scale. Governments had to tackle the detrimental effects of disinformation on society by adopting various communicative strategies. This study uses a critical discourse analysis to investigate to what extent and in what ways government communication campaigns promoting corona vaccination in Flanders and Spain interacted with disinformation. First, the regional determinants of disinformation are considered, along with important theories and strategies of government and health communication. Consequently, a limited analysis of disinformation in Spain and Flanders is completed, followed by an analysis of the communication campaigns to observe whether the strategies were applied in the campaigns and adapted to the sociocultural reality. The analysis indicates that the materials did interact with disinformation but that the strategies were only partly adapted to the context of the regions. It is concluded that governments need a deeper understanding and awareness of the nature of disinformation and its consequences on the population. This awareness allows to efficiently adapt communication campaigns and effectively fight disinformation through government communication.
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publisher Ediciones Complutense
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series Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación
spelling doaj-art-705d3fd0c4e944e3ad539ec7926d54132025-08-20T02:11:25ZdeuEdiciones ComplutenseCírculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación1576-47372025-05-0110210.5209/clac.85360Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19Evelien Vandecraen0Lieve Vangehuchten1Ana María Fernández Vallejo2University of AntwerpUniversity of AntwerpUniversidad de Navarra The COVID-19 crisis was accompanied by an “infodemic” of disinformation on an unprecedented scale. Governments had to tackle the detrimental effects of disinformation on society by adopting various communicative strategies. This study uses a critical discourse analysis to investigate to what extent and in what ways government communication campaigns promoting corona vaccination in Flanders and Spain interacted with disinformation. First, the regional determinants of disinformation are considered, along with important theories and strategies of government and health communication. Consequently, a limited analysis of disinformation in Spain and Flanders is completed, followed by an analysis of the communication campaigns to observe whether the strategies were applied in the campaigns and adapted to the sociocultural reality. The analysis indicates that the materials did interact with disinformation but that the strategies were only partly adapted to the context of the regions. It is concluded that governments need a deeper understanding and awareness of the nature of disinformation and its consequences on the population. This awareness allows to efficiently adapt communication campaigns and effectively fight disinformation through government communication. https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/CLAC/article/view/85360critical discourse analysisdisinformationgovernment communicationhealth communication
spellingShingle Evelien Vandecraen
Lieve Vangehuchten
Ana María Fernández Vallejo
Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19
Círculo de Lingüística Aplicada a la Comunicación
critical discourse analysis
disinformation
government communication
health communication
title Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19
title_full Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19
title_fullStr Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19
title_full_unstemmed Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19
title_short Government communication as a means to combat disinformation in Spain and Flanders: the case of Covid-19
title_sort government communication as a means to combat disinformation in spain and flanders the case of covid 19
topic critical discourse analysis
disinformation
government communication
health communication
url https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/CLAC/article/view/85360
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AT anamariafernandezvallejo governmentcommunicationasameanstocombatdisinformationinspainandflandersthecaseofcovid19