A new study analyzing more than 11,000 YouTube videos and comments found that online narratives surrounding avian influenza evolved alongside major outbreak developments, including increasing reports of infections in mammals, sporadic human cases, and economic consequences. While videos largely reflected scientific and public health information, audience discussions frequently transformed these events into broader debates involving institutional trust, politics, media credibility, and alternative interpretations of disease risk.
Using a large-scale artificial intelligence-based topic modelling, researchers from the University of Calgary and Université de Toulouse tracked how avian influenza narratives evolved across YouTube between 2020 and 2025. Most videos shared factual information related to outbreaks, prevention, and disease surveillance, but video comment sections often reframed these topics through political, economic, and ideological lenses.
“Our findings show that online discussions about zoonotic disease outbreaks extend far beyond scientific or veterinary information,” said Dr. Guillaume Lhermie of the University of Calgary. “Although many of the videos we analyzed presented factual information about avian influenza, the comment sections frequently reframed those events through narratives centred on mistrust, uncertainty, and competing interpretations of risk, science, and public health responses.”
The analysis identified dominant themes, emotional patterns, and shifts in discussion over time, revealing substantial differences between how topics were presented in videos and subsequently interpreted by audiences. Discussions related to biosafety and virus origin hypotheses, as well as legal, criminal, and international affairs, were frequently reframed in comment sections through narratives emphasizing suspicion, institutional critique, and geopolitical conflict.
According to the researchers, the synchrony between real-world outbreak developments and spikes in online activity may create conditions that encourage uncertainty, questioning, and the emergence of alternative narratives. Rather than reflecting purely emotional reactions, many discussions centred on skepticism towards institutions, scientific legitimacy, and official public health messaging — forms of discourse known to generate high engagement and amplification on social media platforms.
The findings highlight YouTube’s dual role as both a source of public health information and a space where competing narratives about zoonotic disease risks rapidly emerge and spread. Researchers say that by integrating misleading claims into broader political, ideological, and social debates, online platforms may shape public perceptions of health risks, weaken trust in public health authorities, and complicate adherence to evidence-based guidance during outbreaks.
The study underscores the growing importance of adaptive digital communication strategies capable of responding to rapidly evolving online narratives during future zoonotic and public health crises.
Health information dynamics and audience responses to avian influenza on YouTube: Implications for digital public health communication
10-Jun-2026