Infodemic – “Epidemic of Rumours”. The Characteristic Features of the Phenomenon on the Example of the Infodemic Accompanying COVID-19 in 2020

The purpose of the analysis described in the text was to identify the characteristic features of the infodemic as a phenomenon on the example of the infodemic accompanying the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. The author began with the definition developed by the World Health Organization in 2018, and traced the earliest scientific studies describing the phenomenon. Then, based on results of the examination of the studies and experts’ comments relating to the COVID-19 infodemic, the author described the main features of infodemic and their indicators. As a result of the investigation, the author decided to add four additional features to the initial infodemic characteristics. This is a new approach to the topic: the scientific literature on the does not contain such detailed characteristics of infodemic and focuses rather on selected phenomena associated with it.