The Power of the Blue Tick: Ugandans' experiences and engagement on Twitter at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic

To raise awareness and communicate measures aimed at curbing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Ugandan government used a combination of traditional and social media platforms. This included nationally televised presidential addresses on early coping efforts. We examine the impact of these communications by using public Twitter data to explore Ugandans' experiences, conversations, and engagement leading up to, during, and after these addresses. We found that tweets from verified accounts received more user engagement than tweets from non-verified accounts. We also used a Louvian clustering algorithm to identify the topics around which tweet clusters occurred. Some topics were unique to Uganda's COVID-19 response, such as lockdown and truck drivers. Thematic analyses within the five clusters uncovered sub-themes on conversation dynamics, and Twitter use during the pandemic. Overall, we use Uganda as a case example of using social media in a crisis (such as a pandemic) to provide insight into the African experience. © 2021 Owner/Author.

Disability and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Using Twitter to Understand Accessibility during Rapid Societal Transition

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced institutions to rapidly alter their behavior, which typically has disproportionate negative effects on people with disabilities as accessibility is overlooked. To investigate these issues, we analyzed Twitter data to examine accessibility problems surfaced by the crisis. We identified three key domains at the intersection of accessibility and technology: (i) the allocation of product delivery services, (ii) the transition to remote education, and (iii) the dissemination of public health information. We found that essential retailers expanded their high-risk customer shopping hours and pick-up and delivery services, but individuals with disabilities still lacked necessary access to goods and services. Long-experienced access barriers to online education were exacerbated by the abrupt transition of in-person to remote instruction. Finally, public health messaging has been inconsistent and inaccessible, which is unacceptable during a rapidly-evolving crisis. We argue that organizations should create flexible, accessible technology and policies in calm times to be adaptable in times of crisis to serve individuals with diverse needs. © 2020 Owner/Author.