Covid19NCT04918849
WhatsApp in India During the COVID-19 Pandemic
An observational study of Covid19, run by Yale-NUS College at 1 site in Singapore.
Trial summary
Digital misinformation has been flagged as a major risk of the 21st century, with an estimated cost of $78 billion to the global economy each year. Given this scope, we propose to characterize how misinformation is spread via messenger platforms (e.g. WhatsApp). Specifically, we seek to: 1. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Covid19
- How many people
- 1,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSingapore
- Study dates
- 21 May 2021to 31 Dec 2021
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: A community sample of the 1000 people from the Indian population
Who may be able to join
- Lived in India for more than 2 years,
- Currently Living in India
- Owns a WhatsApp account
Who cannot join
- Not currently living in India
- Below the ages of 21
- Has not lived in India for more than 2 years
- does not own a WhatsApp account
- Does not speak English or Hindi
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Singapore1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Yale-NUS College
Singapore, 138527
Jean Liu, PhD, 66013964, jeanliu@yale-nus.edu.sg
About this study
Official title: Characterising the Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation Through WhatsApp in India
Digital misinformation has been flagged as a major risk of the 21st century, with an estimated cost of $78 billion to the global economy each year. Given this scope, we propose to characterize how misinformation is spread via messenger platforms (e.g. WhatsApp).
Specifically, we seek to:
Read more
- Identify metrics of potential misinformation (Aim 1). This is based on the hypothesis that although message contents are highly private, proxy markers can be used to identify potential misinformation.
- Understand the base-rate by which misinformation is shared via messaging applications (Aim 2). This is founded on the hypothesis that misinformation is endemic on messaging platforms, and thus needs to be documented.
- Identify "super spreaders" responsible for sending and receiving a large volume of misinformation (Aim 3). Here, we hypothesise that a small group of super spreaders are responsible for the bulk of misinformation-sharing on messaging applications.
The thrust of this work aligns with both government priorities and the grant's thematic areas, providing actionable findings that are timely amidst a worldwide surge of misinformation.
- Conditions
- Covid19
- Keywords
- WhatsApp, Misinformation, Rumours, India, Experience Sampling
- Medical subject headings
- COVID-19, Communication
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Community Sample | We plan to recruit a community sample of 1000 from the Indian Population. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
WhatsApp Usage
Participants were asked a series of questions daily related to their WhatsApp usage behaviors - in particular, their message-forwarding, personal chat and group chat behaviors.
Measured: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Changes in fear with regards the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
1 item each day on fear specifically of the COVID-19 situation (measured on a 4 point scale: min = 1, max = 4; higher scores indicating greater fear about the outbreak).
Measured: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Changes in amount of thinking about the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
1 item each day on how much they thought about the outbreak that day (measured on a 5 point scale: min = 1, max = 5; higher scores indicating more thinking about the outbreak).
Measured: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Jun 2021
- Study start21 May 2021
- Primary completion31 Dec 2021 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Dec 2021 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Covid19Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 1,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Yale-NUS College
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04918849
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2020-CERC-001C
- Status last verified
- Jun 2021
- First submitted
- 8 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 9 Jun 2021
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Due to stipulations by the institutional review board, data can not be shared
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Jun 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Characterising the Spread of COVID-19 Misinformation Through WhatsApp in India
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04918849
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2020-CERC-001C
- Conditions
- Covid19
- Keywords
- WhatsApp, Misinformation, Rumours, India, Experience Sampling
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 1,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Yale-NUS CollegeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 21 May 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2021 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2021 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Jun 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Digital misinformation has been flagged as a major risk of the 21st century, with an estimated cost of $78 billion to the global economy each year. Given this scope, we propose to characterize how misinformation is spread via messenger platforms (e.g. WhatsApp).
Specifically, we seek to:
- Identify metrics of potential misinformation (Aim 1). This is based on the hypothesis that although message contents are highly private, proxy markers can be used to identify potential misinformation.
- Understand the base-rate by which misinformation is shared via messaging applications (Aim 2). This is founded on the hypothesis that misinformation is endemic on messaging platforms, and thus needs to be documented.
- Identify "super spreaders" responsible for sending and receiving a large volume of misinformation (Aim 3). Here, we hypothesise that a small group of super spreaders are responsible for the bulk of misinformation-sharing on messaging applications.
The thrust of this work aligns with both government priorities and the grant's thematic areas, providing actionable findings that are timely amidst a worldwide surge of misinformation.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Community Sample | – | –We plan to recruit a community sample of 1000 from the Indian Population. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- A community sample of the 1000 people from the Indian population
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Lived in India for more than 2 years,
- Currently Living in India
- Owns a WhatsApp account
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Not currently living in India
- Below the ages of 21
- Has not lived in India for more than 2 years
- does not own a WhatsApp account
- Does not speak English or Hindi
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
WhatsApp Usage
Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
Participants were asked a series of questions daily related to their WhatsApp usage behaviors - in particular, their message-forwarding, personal chat and group chat behaviors.
Changes in fear with regards the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
1 item each day on fear specifically of the COVID-19 situation (measured on a 4 point scale: min = 1, max = 4; higher scores indicating greater fear about the outbreak).
Changes in amount of thinking about the COVID-19 situation across 1 week
Time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion
1 item each day on how much they thought about the outbreak that day (measured on a 5 point scale: min = 1, max = 5; higher scores indicating more thinking about the outbreak).
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Jun 2021.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Due to stipulations by the institutional review board, data can not be shared
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Covid19, run by Yale-NUS College at 1 site in Singapore.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jun 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Singapore. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Jean Liu, PhD (66013694, jeanliu@yale-nus.edu.sg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
WhatsApp Usage (time frame: 1 week, starting from date after baseline survey completion). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Jun 2021; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.