Citizen journalism and credibility of authoritarian government in risk communication regarding the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak: A survey experiment

Abstract

Background: During the outbreak of an epidemic, the success in risk communications to make the public comply with disease preventive measures depends on the public’s trust in the government. In this study, we aim to understand how media audiences update their trust in the government during the COVID-19 outbreak depending on the information they received. Methods: Online survey experiment in which respondents were randomly provided with a government press release and an endorsement either from an official or a non-official source, and a statement from a medical expert either mentioning or not mentioning his government-related title. We analyzed the average treatment effects and heterogeneous treatment effects. Findings: The experiment was conducted in mid-February 2020 in Hong Kong. 1,016 responses were received. An endorsement from a non-official source can enhance the credibility of government press release more than an official source can (45 * 98, 95% CI 43 * 62-48 * 34 versus 42 * 85, 95% CI 40 * 35-45 * 35). The effect is particularly strong for respondents who are critical of the government. This positive effect exists among those who do know the source before and do not consider the source under instruction of the government, with the effect stronger for those who consider the source independent. Interpretation: Information from non-official sources can enhance the credibility of official government messages. Allowing information flow from non-official sources and medical experts can be a practical measure for governments to address the problem of a credibility deficit in a period of epidemic outbreak.