This study used the Baidu Index to analyze searches using discriminatory language toward the source of the outbreak during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study found a strong correlation between official intervention and a reduction in searches using discriminatory language. Following the official naming of the virus by the government, the general public understood that searches using discriminatory language should be avoided, and search behavior dramatically changed. Meanwhile, this study also found that official intervention also overcame the effects of local socioeconomic factors. Regions with higher levels of socioeconomic development and higher population density had a stronger discriminatory language in internet searches, while the opposite was the case for regions with lower CPI and unemployment rates. However, after the official intervention, these factors no longer had a significant effect. It is recommended that officials worldwide provide early official media guidance during infectious disease outbreaks to reduce the use of discriminatory language and ensure the delivery of transparent and effective information to the public.

Yiwei Jiang, Hsin-Che Wu, Yihang Zuo