Paper long abstract:

The paper an attempt to analyze the spread of COVID-19 “fakes” in Kyrgyzstan and to identify their main features. In this study analysis of fake materials outlined defining characteristics, similarities, and differences in comparison to other news materials, and format, channels, and platforms of distribution and distribution frequency. In addition, this analysis examined at what stage or stages these fakes were integrated into and became relevant in the region. The research methodology is a qualitative and quantitative content analysis of the coronavirus-related materials with the COVID-19 tag from the fact-checking resource Factcheck. kg (Kyrgyzstan), which was published from February 1 to October 31, 2020. The key findings showed that in Kyrgyzstan, most fakes revolved around treatment (26%) and healthcare (19%). They included ‘miraculous recipes’ against the coronavirus that had allegedly been published in Soviet newspapers, materials about an ‘asymptomatic strain of the coronavirus’ in Kyrgyzstan, and disinformation about the number of COVID-19 deaths in China and Uzbekistan. There was even a fake about the death of the Head of WHO.

One-fifth of the fakes (21%) treated government and country policies to discredit them or undermine stability. These fakes spread misinformation about quarantine policies in other countries (Sweden) and/or unrest and protests (mainly in Russia).

At the same time, the most popular fakes in Kyrgyzstan, and those most shared and discussed, were related to healthcare topics and the politics of other countries; most of these falls into the ‘international fakes’ category and spread falsehoods about disinfection by helicopters, WHO statements on the Russian vaccine, etc. The main feature of fakes in Kyrgyzstan is that they combine elements of truth (in this case, the video was authentic, though the horses were not being treated for Covid-19) with distorted interpretations. The posts about the WHO, in which almost all the statements were inaccurate or distorted, are also a vivid example.