The Evolving Interplay between Social Media and International Health Security: A Point of View

*Keith Conti, Shanaya Desai, Stanislaw P. Stawicki and Thomas J. Papadimos*

### **Abstract**

Human communication and interaction had been rapidly evolving with the advent and continuing influence of social media (SM) thereby accelerating information exchange and increasing global connectivity. Despite clear advantages, this new technology can present unintended consequences including medical misinformation and "fake news." Although International Health Security (IHS) stands to benefit tremendously from various SM platforms, high-level decision-makers and other stakeholders must also be aware of the dangers related to its intentional and unintentional misuse (and abuse). An overview of SM utility in fighting disease, disseminating life-saving information, and organizing people and teams in a constructive fashion is discussed herein. The potential negatives associated with SM misuse, including intentional and unintentional misinformation, as well as the ability to organize people in a disruptive fashion, will also be presented. Our treatise will additionally outline how deliberate misinformation may lead to harmful behaviors, public health panics, and orchestrated patterns of distrust. In terms of both its affirmative and destructive considerations, SM can be viewed as an asymmetric influencing force, with observed effects (whether beneficial or harmful) being disproportionately greater than the cost of the intervention.

**Keywords:** global health security, International Health Security, social media, misinformation, fake news

#### **1. Introduction**

International Health Security (IHS) includes a broad range of intertwined subject areas are related to human security [1–4]. Introduced by the United Nations in the mid-1990s, the definition of "health security" is nebulous because of an overlap between its constituent "health" and "security" components [5]. Thus, there continues to be debate about the degree of such overlap and its implications. In addition, although traditional IHS applications focus on bio-terrorism and emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) [6, 7], the concepts of "health" and "security" can be applied more broadly when different man-made and non-man-made factors, from climate change to cyber health security are considered [8–11].

The domination of personal and professional human interactions by the increasingly more powerful and sophisticated social media (SM) platforms brought with

it many benefits and challenges. For example, SM has introduced conditions for cyberbullying, voter/public opinion manipulation, and criminal activity despite its well-intended attempts to bring people together in the digital, boundaryless environment [12]. Here, we will discuss how SM can create both constructive and destructive forces, focusing specifically on IHS and related topic areas.
