HASHTAGS, HOPE, AND FEAR: SOCIAL MEDIA NARRATIVES SHAPING PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic produced an unprecedented shift in global communication dynamics, with social media emerging as a primary arena for information dissemination, emotional expression, and public interpretation of the crisis. Unlike previous pandemics, the digital environment enabled individuals, institutions, and informal networks to construct competing narratives shaping perceptions of risk, responsibility, and meaning. This study investigates how social media narratives, particularly those expressed through hashtags, visual storytelling, and affective discourse, shaped public understanding of COVID-19. Using qualitative content analysis of 1,200 social media posts and interviews with 30 social media users, the research identifies three dominant narrative categories: hope-based narratives, fear-based narratives, and polarizing political narratives. The findings demonstrate that social media did not simply transmit information; it emotionally framed the pandemic, producing competing collective imaginaries that influenced compliance with preventive measures, trust in institutions, and interpretations of scientific authority. Hope-centered narratives fostered solidarity and communal resilience, while fear-driven narratives amplified anxiety, misinformation, and social fragmentation. Polarized political narratives intensified distrust and shaped ideological identity performance. The study highlights the role of affective publics in crisis communication and emphasizes the need for strategic, transparent, and emotionally intelligent digital health messaging to strengthen public resilience in future health emergencies.