At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, renowned health organizations like the CDC, NIH, and WHO provided extensive public health guidance. However, a recent study conducted by Dartmouth College suggests that the influence of three-lettered group BTS, a Korean pop band, may have surpassed that of these organizations. The study explored the impact of social media messages from pop culture icons on mask-wearing habits during the pandemic. Professor Herbert Chang, one of the lead authors of the research, discussed his findings and their potential implications. Below is an edited and condensed version of their conversation.
Mary Williams Engisch: Can you explain your study and its findings?
Herbert Chang: Back when I was a graduate student at the University of Southern California, we had access to the largest Twitter data set on COVID-19. We wanted to determine who had the most significant influence on promoting mask wearing, particularly during the early stages of the pandemic. While many people believed it was health organizations or politicians, our data revealed that entertainment groups played a significant role in driving public health messaging. We aimed to identify the strongest voice and examine how their messaging spread compared to politicians and health institutions.
Mary Williams Engisch: What did the study discover about the impact of non-politicized entertainers and musicians on public health messaging during the pandemic?
Herbert Chang: Our research showed that BTS had the most substantial influence. When the head of the WHO incorporated BTS in his tweets, we observed that these tweets received around 200,000 retweets, whereas his other tweets received a similar number of retweets. By including BTS, the virality of the messages increased more than 111 times.
Mary Williams Engisch: What prompted you to pursue this study on how social media messaging by global superstars may have influenced public health practices during the pandemic?
Herbert Chang: During the height of the pandemic, when we were all in lockdown, I noticed that streaming on platforms like Spotify and engaging with digital content became a source of solace for many of my friends. Personally, I listened to music from Taiwanese indie bands, being from Taiwan. On the other hand, my co-author, Becky, was a huge K-pop fan, and she was particularly enthusiastic about BTS during the first year of the pandemic. BTS gained significant attention when they were invited to the United Nations General Assembly to speak about mental health during COVID-19. This resonated with us, and we decided to explore this phenomenon further.
Mary Williams Engisch: Were you surprised by the results of the study? Did you uncover any unexpected findings?
Herbert Chang: The extent of BTS’s influence was indeed surprising. While I anticipated they would have a significant presence, I did not expect them to be the most influential. Additionally, we examined the strength of their communities, thinking of social media networks as interconnected users. We found that the togetherness of K-pop communities not only helped spread their message widely but also deeply.
Mary Williams Engisch: How can these findings be relevant for public health officials and New England specifically?
Herbert Chang: The findings suggest that leveraging perceived neutral third parties or celebrities with existing audiences could be beneficial for targeted interventions or diffusion. For instance, when promoting vaccines or responding to future disease outbreaks, utilizing local celebrities and entertainers could be effective. These findings could be scaled down to different regions and communities.
Mary Williams Engisch: Did your study find any evidence of offline collective action resulting from online activism, such as hashtag campaigns?
Herbert Chang: Absolutely. We found that online activities, such as hashtag campaigns, were accompanied by in-person donations. When BTS concerts were canceled due to the pandemic, the fans organized themselves to donate their refunds to various causes, including the Black Lives Matter movement and UNICEF. These grassroots efforts resulted in total donations exceeding $3 to $4 million within a few days, highlighting the power of social media.
Mary Williams Engisch: In a highly polarized online environment with increasing misinformation, what role do nonpartisan influencers like celebrities and entertainers play in shaping public opinion?
Herbert Chang: This is an interesting question, especially with upcoming elections. Encouraging people to fact-check and critically evaluate what they read is crucial in combating misinformation. If celebrities and entertainers can prompt individuals to think deeply about the information they encounter, it could lead to better uptake of reliable and accurate information. It’s essential to have entertainers spreading best practices and encouraging thoughtful consideration.
If you have any questions, comments, or tips, feel free to send us a message.
