The Influence of Visual Risk Communication on Community During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Investigation of Twitter Platform

Abstract

AbstractMajor events and unconventional circumstances impose a series of challenges on leaders around the world. The COVID-19 pandemic crisis which is characterized by constant change and improbability, forced the countries’ leadership to ramp up risk communication efforts. Under this condition, social media platforms played a critical role for quick dissemination of information. Consequently, the current study aims to understand the role of the Saudi Monarchy King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud on visual health risk communication during the COVID-19 pandemic through social media platforms like Twitter. It explores how virtual space builds an emotional connection to deal with the COVID-19 situation with the local and international community. The research incorporates a multidisciplinary perspective to understand the role of virtual space in constructing an emotional connection with the local and international community in the critical period of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study uses Lasswell’s communication model and Goffman’s dramaturgical framework to review and analyze the official Twitter account “@KingSalman” of King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud. It explores how social media interaction supports the Saudi Monarchy’s leadership role, comparing front and backstage scripts. The findings indicate that Saudi Monarchy leadership’s influence on virtual space plays an essential part in coping with the COVID-19 crisis and building an emotional connection with the community. It supports enhancing the social capital through bonding, bridging, and linking across Saudi Arabia regions to fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. This study contributes to understanding leadership influence on virtual space and supports dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.KeywordsLeadershipCOVID-19Social mediaMonarchy-onlineVisual risk communicationKing SalmanSaudi Arabia