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Public Engagement with Romanian Government Social Media Accounts during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Vasile Gherheș

    (Department of Communication and Foreign Languages, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 300006 Timisoara, Romania)

  • Mariana Cernicova-Buca

    (Department of Communication and Foreign Languages, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 300006 Timisoara, Romania)

  • Marcela Alina Fărcașiu

    (Department of Communication and Foreign Languages, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 300006 Timisoara, Romania)

Abstract

Following international best practice examples, the Romanian government resorted to its social media accounts to disseminate information and unfold an awareness and persuasion campaign to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The article focuses on the use of the government’s YouTube and Facebook accounts to persuade the population to get vaccinated in 2021 via video messages tailored for this purpose. The research quantified the volume of public engagement with the two waves of the persuasive campaign, finding that, while click-based reactions tended to show a positive attitude toward the campaign, the comments mainly denoted frustration, anger, and anxiety on the part of the public. Moreover, the citizens’ engagement with the campaign messages was by far lower than the number of subscribers and followers of the analyzed social media accounts. The goal of the COVID-19 public health persuasion campaign was to build support for the governmental policy and minimize the risks of the pandemic while vaccination was being rolled out. The public reaction to the governmental campaign showed that a finer and more adapted approach was necessary. This study offers a qualitative basis for informing health communication strategies of the challenges posed by social media platforms used in crisis times.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasile Gherheș & Mariana Cernicova-Buca & Marcela Alina Fărcașiu, 2023. "Public Engagement with Romanian Government Social Media Accounts during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-22, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:3:p:2372-:d:1050129
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Patrick Cheong-Iao Pang & Qixin Cai & Wenjing Jiang & Kin Sun Chan, 2021. "Engagement of Government Social Media on Facebook during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Macao," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-19, March.
    3. Bernadette Hyland-Wood & John Gardner & Julie Leask & Ullrich K. H. Ecker, 2021. "Toward effective government communication strategies in the era of COVID-19," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    4. Corina Buzoianu & Monica Bîră, 2021. "Using Social Media Listening in Crisis Communication and Management: New Methods and Practices for Looking into Crises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-15, November.
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