Birth Control and Abortion Misinformation on TikTok
Anu Manchikanti Gomez, Professor
Social Welfare
Applications for Spring 2024 are closed for this project.
Misinformation (factually incorrect information) and disinformation (misinformation that is spread intentionally) about contraception and abortion are serious and worsening threats to sexual and reproductive health (SRH). The spread and impact of misinformation has been exacerbated by social media. TikTok specifically is widely used by young people and has been identified as spreading SRH misinformation in journalistic investigations. Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth may be particularly vulnerable to SRH misinformation, which may exacerbate inequities in access to SRH information and healthcare. This study will characterize the extent and nature of misinformation on contraception and abortion on TikTok to help design interventions to ensure all young people have access to accurate, comprehensive information about SRH.
Role: Student researchers will analyze TikToks about birth control and abortion to identify whether they contain misinformation and classify the topic of misinformation. Using a structured rubric, student researchers will code features of TikTok videos, including types of information presented, how the information is presented, who the information is presented by, and other relevant characteristics. Student researchers will receive training on how to code the videos, as well as on relevant SRH information about contraception and abortion. We are looking for students who can commit a minimum of 6 hours per week to the project (and welcome those who can do more!). There will be a required weekly lab meeting between 12:10-2:00pm every Tuesday. Please indicate how many hours per week you can commit and confirm your availability for the Tuesday lab time in your application.
Qualifications: Please address qualifications in your application.
REQUIRED: (1) Ability to attend weekly lab on Tuesdays from 12:10-2:00pm (in Haviland Hall, in-person); (2) Attention to detail; (3) Comfort in discussing issues related to sexuality and reproductive health; (4) Excellent written and oral communication skills; (5) Strong academic record. DESIRABLE BUT NOT ESSENTIAL: (1) Previous coursework in research methods and/or experience working on research projects; (2) Familiarity with contraceptive methods
Please be sure to address your availability to attend the weekly lab session on Tuesdays from 12:10-2. We will prioritize applicants who are available 12:10-2. However, if needed based on number of available applicants, we may consider a later start time of 12:40, so we will also accept applications if you are available 12:40-2. Please clearly indicate your availability in your application. Thank you!
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Ariana Bennett, Post-Doc
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Related website: http://socialwelfare.berkeley.edu/anu-manchikanti-gomez
Related website: https://www.share.berkeley.edu