Risk Messages Research Articles

Qualitative examination of US and Israeli adults' perceptions of IQOS advertising messages: modified exposure and risk statements, US FDA endorsement, and health warnings.

IQOS, a leading heated tobacco product, is advertised as less harmful than cigarettes and received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization for 'reduced exposure' advertising claims. Perceptions of advertising messages, including reduced exposure/risk claims, FDA endorsements, and health warning labels (HWLs), are understudied. Qualitative interviews (N=84) from US and Israeli adults (2022) examined perceptions of advertising messages, specifically: 1) scientific claims that switching completely from cigarettes to IQOS reduces 1a) chemical exposure and 1b) tobacco-related disease risk; 2) FDA endorsement of IQOS as a 2a) better choice for adult smokers and 2b) fundamentally different product (heat-not-burn); and 3) promoting IQOS as cigarette alternatives with a HWL pertaining to cigarettes. For half of participants, referencing scientific studies or the FDA enhanced credibility; some believed this implied unbiased, rigorous research. Half were skeptical due to lack of research-related details. Half interpreted message 1 (switching) to mean any substitution could be beneficial; half interpreted it as complete substitution was necessary. Most did not perceive differences between message 1a (reduced exposure) vs. 1b (reduced risk). Some believed message 2a (FDA endorsement, not targeting youth) demonstrated IQOS' social responsibility. Some interpreted message 2b (fundamentally different product) as risk reduction; others perceived no difference. The majority paraphrased messages using the terms 'safer', 'healthier', or 'less harmful'. For message 3 (safer alternative), some did not think the HWL applied to IQOS; some believed it promoted IQOS. Regulators and researchers must monitor harm reduction advertising messaging and take actions to prevent consumer misinterpretations. Philip Morris International's IQOS received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorization for 'reduced exposure' advertising claims, which are often misinterpreted, and has exploited FDA authorization to promote IQOS globally. This qualitative study showed that most participants perceived no difference between reduced risk vs. exposure messages in IQOS ads, half believed that references to scientific studies or FDA enhanced credibility, some believed certain messages demonstrated IQOS' social responsibility, and some perceived warnings in IQOS ads to promote IQOS. Product ads using harm reduction messages must be monitored to inform efforts to prevent potentially harmful misinterpretations and mitigate negative population-level impacts.

The Role of Choice and Descriptive Norms in Attenuating Reactance to BPA Risk Messages: A Conceptual Replication

ABSTRACT The current study examined behavioral recommendations to reduce Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure through the lens of psychological reactance theory. This study conceptually replicated previous work by [Reynolds-Tylus, T., Martinez Gonzalez, A., & Quick, B. L. (2019). The role of choice clustering and descriptive norms in attenuating psychological reactance to water and energy conservation messages. Environmental Communication, 13(7), 847–863. https://doi.org/10.1080/17524032.2018.1461672)] by examining two antecedents to psychological reactance: choice and descriptive norms. Participants (N = 607) were randomly assigned to one of five message conditions in a 2 (choice: choice, no choice) X 2 (descriptive norm: high vs. low) factorial design with a no message control. Results indicated that messages providing choice (vs. no choice) within a cluster of environmental health behaviors decreased freedom threat perceptions. As expected, reactance was negatively associated with intention to reduce BPA exposure. Descriptive norm (high vs. low) was unrelated to freedom threat but indirectly influenced behavioral intention to reduce BPA exposure as mediated through perceived descriptive norm. Our results speak to the importance of replication in communication research and provide evidence-based message design advice for environmental health campaigns. Findings are discussed in terms of the theoretical and practical contributions of the current study.

Improving cyber risk governance through storytelling

This paper addresses the critical challenge of cyber risk governance faced by executives, security committees and boards of directors in the rapidly changing digital landscape. Cyber security complexity, characterised by data deluges and the translational gap between technical jargon and business risk, significantly hinders effective cyber risk messaging and governance. Drawing on five years of research and interviews with chief information security officers (CISOs), the paper highlights the struggle in establishing trust and confidence in governance bodies due to these complexities. It introduces three constructs that aim to simplify cyber security messaging to enhance cyber risk governance: the intelligence to risk (I2R) pyramid, five risk impacts, and resilience and proximity graph. Each construct, illustrated with practical examples, is designed to provide clarity and foster understanding between cyber security professionals and governance bodies, ensuring a cohesive approach to cyber risk management. Readers can expect to gain valuable insights into overcoming the limitations of traditional risk communication tools such as risk registers. By adopting the presented storytelling approach, the paper promises strategies for building trust through transparency and accountability, bridging the communication gap between technical and executive levels, and facilitating informed decision making for improved governance outcomes in the face of cyber security threats.

Sustainable food packaging: engagement through the public discourse on social networks

Purpose This study aims to examine the public discourse on sustainable food packaging, evaluating the main characteristics of that discourse and how risk and analytical message content influence consumer engagement. Design/methodology/approach The authors use two studies with databases built from messages posted on Twitter (now X). Study 1 explores the discourse of sustainable food packaging by conducting a content/sentiment analysis. Study 2 examines more than four million messages posted by or mentioning the world’s most relevant food companies. Hypotheses are tested through censored regression analyses. Findings The results show that plastic is the term that can better classify how we talk about sustainable food packaging. The authors also show that food packaging messages related to sustainability, compared to those not related to sustainability, are composed using more analytical language, contributing to generating greater engagement. Moreover, social network users remain skeptical about food companies, as the latter messages on packaging sustainability generate less engagement (likes + retweets) than when other users post these messages. Originality/value This study addresses important points in the public discourse on social networks about the sustainability of food packaging and its language features. First, the data are representative of the food market with posts from leading worldwide food companies. Second, identifying the hot topics of the discussion on sustainability packaging on social media provides a new perspective on how companies and society view sustainable food packaging. Third, the authors show how the source of the message moderates the impact of sustainability on engagement.

Correlates of susceptibility to waterpipe tobacco smoking in young adults.

Many US young adults are susceptible to waterpipe (i.e., hookah) tobacco smoking (WTS) initiation, but research on factors associated with WTS susceptibility is limited. We examined sociodemographic, other tobacco and substance use, and attitudes and perceptions correlates of WTS susceptibility among young adults. Baseline data from a randomized trial testing WTS risk messages was collected in US young adults aged 18 to 30 years who never used waterpipe tobacco but were susceptible to WTS (n = 294). Extent of susceptibility to WTS was defined using the average score of a valid scale with higher scores indicating higher susceptibility. Correlates were sociodemographics, other tobacco and substance use, and attitudes and perceptions. Multiple linear regression models identified correlates of greater WTS susceptibility. Participants averaged 25 (SD 3.2) years of age, 60% were male, 22% were Black non-Hispanic, 47% completed some college education, and 66% were employed. Our models consistently showed that more positive attitudes toward WTS (β = -0.08, p<0.01), lower perceived addictiveness relative to cigarettes (β = -0.09, p = 0.04), and greater perceived social acceptability of WTS (β = 0.05, p<0.01) were positively correlated with WTS susceptibility. Additionally, young adults who smoked cigarillos (β = 0.53, p<0.01), used cannabis (β = 0.14, p = 0.02), and Black non-Hispanic versus White non-Hispanic young adults (β = 0.18, p = 0.03) also had higher WTS susceptibility. Findings suggest that WTS prevention efforts require multicomponent interventions including targeting subpopulations at greater risk based on race/ethnicity and other tobacco and substance use. These interventions should consider attitudes and social acceptability of WTS as modifiable targets to maximize public health benefits.

Risk Revisited: The Role of Technical Communication in Negotiating Barriers to Effective Health Risk Messaging

Risk Revisited: The Role of Technical Communication in Negotiating Barriers to Effective Health Risk Messaging

Instructional Health-Risk Communication: A Content Analysis of Vaping-Associated Lung Injury Outbreak Coverage in U.S. College Newspapers

ABSTRACT This study examined instructional health-risk communication involving the outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury (EVALI). Using the IDEA model, we investigated how U.S. college newspapers communicated health risk messages during the vaping outbreak. Our analysis of 331 news articles showed that college newspapers placed greater emphasis on explanation of the EVALI outbreak than internalization and action messages. The findings also revealed that news sources played a significant role in communicating instructional health risk messages. Specifically, news stories that included expert sources were more likely to communicate CDC-recommended action messages. The findings have significant implications for designing instructional health-risk communication and anti-smoking interventions tailored to specific populations.

Deciphering Discord: How Conflicting Information and Political Ideology Shape Public Attitude Toward PFAS Regulation

Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) contamination is an emerging environmental and health risk facing the world. This study examines the impact of conflicting information on Americans’ attitude toward PFAS regulation and intention to engage in mitigation behaviors through a one-way, between-subjects experiment. Participants were 1,062 U.S. adults recruited from CloudResearch. Results showed that compared to participants exposed to consistent information, those exposed to conflicting information displayed less favorable attitude toward existing regulation, which led to lower intention to support related policies and to engage in mitigation behaviors. Political ideology moderated these relationships, with stronger experimental effects among conservatives. These findings underscore the importance of conveying consistent risk messages, especially when multiple stakeholders are involved.

Message Effectiveness of Fear Appeals in Vaccination Communication Campaigns: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review of 54 cross-disciplinary peer-reviewed causal empirical studies helps public health officials, researchers, and healthcare professionals better comprehend the effects of fear appeals in vaccine promotional campaigns on message processing, persuasion, vaccination attitudes, and vaccination intentions. This review documents inconsistent findings across studies, which it attempts to clarify by considering differences in research designs, sample populations, and outcomes measured. In general, we find that fear appeals increase risk perceptions, message involvement, and vaccination attitudes. However, fear appeals have less influence on vaccination intentions, especially among female and general adult populations or populations from the U.S. and other Western cultures. On the other hand, the effect of fear appeals on vaccination intentions is stronger among student populations and those from China (People's Republic of China and Hong Kong) and other non-Western cultures. Also, fear appeals are less persuasive when promoting COVID-19 vaccines and boosters than they are for other vaccines (e.g., HPV, influenza, MMR). Future research should compare fear appeal effectiveness in messages across vaccines or when combined with other executional elements, such as the endorser or type of evidence provided. Finally, future studies should explore other methodological approaches and measure underexplored message outcomes, such as vaccine uptake behavior, in more naturalistic settings.

The Role of e-Cigarette Packaging as a Health Communications Tool: A Focus Group Study With Adolescents and Adults in England and Scotland.

In the United Kingdom, e-cigarette and refill packaging must display a nicotine addiction warning. This study explored how this message is perceived, responses to alternative on-pack messages, and other options for using e-cigarette packaging to discourage youth and people who neither smoke nor use e-cigarettes while encouraging smokers to switch. Between August and September 2022, 16 focus groups (n = 70) were conducted to explore these topics with adolescents (n = 31, aged 11-17 years) and adults (n = 39, nonsmokers, smokers that use e-cigarettes, smokers that do not use e-cigarettes) in England and Scotland. While several participants thought the current nicotine addiction warning could help increase awareness of nicotine addiction, most reported that it failed to capture attention and was not a deterrent. Alternative messages shown on packs (about harm, toxicity, wellness, litter, or relative risk) received mixed responses. Relative risk messages were perceived as most beneficial for smokers switching but also thought to potentially encourage uptake among nonsmokers. Some participants considered certain harm and toxicity messages to potentially dissuade uptake. Participants proposed several ideas to reduce the appeal of e-cigarette packaging and devices to deter youth uptake, including more prominent warnings, standardized packaging, and devices that are plain or include health messages. Packaging can play a crucial role in communicating product and health messages to different consumer groups. Further consideration of how packaging and labeling can meet the needs of non-nicotine users while simultaneously reaching those who may benefit from using e-cigarettes to stop smoking is warranted. While some viewed the nicotine addiction warning required on e-cigarettes and refill packaging in the United Kingdom as helpful in raising awareness of nicotine addiction, it did not resonate with most of our sample of adolescents and adults. The findings suggest that e-cigarette packaging could be better used to encourage smokers to switch to a less harmful alternative, with relative risk messages showing promise. Furthermore, strengthening on-pack messaging (eg increasing salience and rotating messages) and reducing the appeal of packaging (eg drab colors) and devices (eg including warnings) may help increase awareness of e-cigarette harms while deterring use among adolescents and nonsmokers.

Managing Fear Responses: A Qualitative Analysis of Pictorial Warning Labels Five Years Post-Plain Packaging.

Although pictorial warning labels (PWLs) now dominate tobacco packages sold in many countries, few studies have probed how people who smoke respond to the threats presented several years post-plain packaging and larger PWLs. Understanding how people manage the fear and dissonance PWLs arouse, and the strategies they use to rationalize, diminish, and reject risk messages, could inform future PWL design. We undertook 27 in-depth interviews with people aged 18 and over (16 female, 8 Māori, and 13 aged ≤35) who smoked roll-your-own tobacco and lived in Aotearoa New Zealand. We probed participants' views on current PWLs and how they responded to these, then asked them to use alternative images and headlines to create new PWLs. We drew on the extended parallel processing model to interpret the data, which we analyzed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach. People who smoke dislike PWLs, which they think reduce them to diseased body parts. While a minority thought existing PWLs were believable and effective, most reported avoiding PWLs by hiding or cognitively blocking them. Participants used diverse counterarguments to diminish PWLs' relevance and impact, and a minority displayed strong reactance. Several suggested developing PWLs that recognized them as whole people rather than patients in waiting, and recommended greater use of testimonials, particularly from people who had successfully become smoke free. PWLs using more holistic and diverse messages could elicit greater engagement and responsiveness, and motivate cessation more effectively than existing health-oriented warnings. Our findings suggest existing PWLs, which aim to arouse fear of ill health, could be complemented by warnings that emphasize the benefits of quitting. Continuing to use threat-based PWLs could stimulate greater rationalization and reactance. By contrast, PWLs that aim to illustrate how cessation could benefit people who smoke and their families, rather than instill a fear of disease, could avoid message rejection and counter-argument, and may prove a more powerful way of motivating cessation.

The media-psychological model of environmental risk perception

The article presents the results of a theoretical analysis on the topic of media-psychological aspects of the perception of environmental risks and the presentation of the author's media psychological model of the impact of media messages on the perception of environmental risks. The presented model examines the processes and stages involved in the initial encounter with environmental risk messages in the media and the further outcomes of their processing which can manifest in information-seeking behaviour. According to the presented model, changes in risk perception are considered a series of stages initiated by attention to information and can continue when information-seeking behaviour is triggered. The main models relied on by the author of this study are the Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing to describe media message processing and the Risk Information Search and Processing Model to describe aspects of information-seeking behaviour. Several additional communication models dedicated to the consideration of information behaviour and processing of media messages were also used to describe the processes of mass media influence on the perception of environmental risks. Thus, dual models of information processing and persuasive communication are also considered, including the Heuristic-Systematic Model and the Elaboration Likelihood Model, as well as additional theories examining information-seeking behaviour: the Theory of Motivated Information Management and the Planned Risk Information Seeking Model

Perceptions of HPV-Linked Oropharyngeal Cancer Risk Messages Among a Sample of Young Adult Men in the US: A Pilot Study.

Awareness of risk for oropharyngeal cancer from oral human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is low among men in the United States. This pilot study tested messages communicating oral HPV and oropharyngeal cancer risk among a sample of U.S. young adult men (aged 18-26). Six oral HPV and cancer risk messages were tested in an online survey. Participants (N = 68) were randomly assigned to one of two message sets, each containing three unique text-based messages. Participants evaluated messages separately based on various measures (e.g., perceived message effectiveness [PME], novelty). One-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to assess evaluation differences within message sets. Participants provided open-ended feedback about each message, which were synthesized into overarching themes. Participants were receptive to the risk messages, rating them high on PME (mean range = 3.72-4.25 out of 5) and other measures. Analyses identified three high-performing messages. For example, participants rated a message about HPV-linked oropharyngeal cancer risk rates in men versus women higher on attention and novelty than two other messages in the same set (both ps < .05). Participants were shown three messages (instead of all six) in each message set to minimize survey fatigue. Common themes from open-ended feedback were that participants liked the short-form structure of the messages and that the messages used gender-tailored language. In conclusion, oral HPV and oropharyngeal cancer risk messages may be useful for increasing risk awareness among men in the U.S. Further work should test such messages in rigorous experimental contexts to assess their efficacy in modifying other health outcomes, such as HPV vaccination behaviors.

Examining public perceptions of cultivated meat in Singapore: food neophobia and neophilia as precursors to the influence of presumed media influence model

ABSTRACT This study examines how individuals’ prior beliefs (i.e. food neophilia and food neophobia) serve as precursors to the influence of the presumed media influence model in shaping their perceptions of cultivated meat. An online survey of 1031 Singapore residents revealed that food neophobia and food neophilia are positively related to individuals’ media attention to risk and benefit messages about cultivated meat, respectively. Furthermore, individuals’ media attention to these risk and benefit messages about cultivated meat was positively related to their presumed influence of such messages on others, which subsequently affected their own attitudes and perceived social norms regarding the consumption of cultivated meat. Lastly, individuals’ own attitudes and perceived social norms were found to be positively associated with their intentions to consume cultivated meat. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Experiences of geophagy during pregnancy among African migrant women in London: Implications for public health interventions

This study explored African migrant women's clay ingestion experiences during pregnancy against a backdrop of health risks warnings in order, to inform public health interventions by the UK Food Standards Agency and Public Health England, now known as the UK Health Security Agency. An interpretative phenomenological approach (IPA) was utilized, and data were collected with a total of 30 participants through individual in-depth interviews and one focus group discussion. Findings showed clay ingestion is a fluid and widely accepted cultural practice among African communities with most participants having been socialized into ingestion during childhood, through family influences and current social networks in their adulthood. Vomiting, nausea, spitting, appetite challenges, and cravings were cited as the main reasons for clay ingestion during pregnancy. With strong claims regarding its effectiveness, clay was ingested every day by most participants, and at times in large quantities despite the potential health risks. This calls for innovative and culturally sensitive public health interventions starting with the inclusion of clay ingestion health risk messages in maternal health nutrition information within antenatal settings. This can be done as part of multilevel interventions informed by life course approaches, which also consider community health messages and an enabling regulatory policy framework focusing on clay sold for human ingestion.

The changing meaning of "no" in Canadian sex work.

With the migration of sex workers to online advertising in Canada, a substantial body of research has emerged on how they communicate with prospective clients. However, given the enormous quantity of archival material available, finding representative ways to identify what sex workers say is a difficult task. Numerical analysis of commonly used phrases allows for the analysis of large numbers of documents potentially identifying themes that may be missed using other techniques. This study considers how Canadian sex workers communicate by examining how the word "no" was used by online advertisers over a 15-year period. Source materials consisted of three collections of online classified advertising containing over 4.2 million ads collected between 2007 and 2022 representing 214456 advertisers. Advertisers and demographic variables were extracted from ad metadata. Common terms surrounding the word "no" were used to identify themes. The word "no" was used by 115127 advertisers. Five major themes were identified: client reassurance (54084 advertisers), communication (47130 advertisers), client race (32612 advertisers), client behavior (23863 advertisers), and service restrictions (8545 advertisers). The probability of there being an association between an advertiser and a major theme was found to vary in response to several variables, including: time period, region, advertiser gender, and advertiser ethnicity. Results are compared with previous work on race and risk messaging in sex work advertising and factors influencing client race restrictions are considered. Over time, the restriction related themes of client behavior, service restrictions, and client race became more prominent. Collectives, multi-regional, cis-female, and Black or Mixed ancestry advertisers were more likely to use restrictions.

Psychometric evaluation of a new instrument to hookah tobacco smoking-related factors in the Iranian female university students based on the Extended Parallel Process Model.

The higher prevalence of hookah tobacco smoking (HTS) has become worrisome in women. Thus, it is essential to identify and measure the perceptions associated with this unhealthy behavior as well as the type of response to risk messages to design the effective programs. This study aimed to psychometric evaluation of a new instrument, named the Extended Parallel Process Model-Hookah Tobacco Smoking Questionnaire (EPPM-HTSQ), for female university students. This methodological study was conducted in 2019-2020 in central and western Iran. The first version of the instrument was developed with 97 items. Face, Content, and construct validity methods were used to assess the EPPM-HTSQ validity. The data viability for factorability was guided through Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sample adequacy (Values >0.7) and Bartlett's test of Sphericity (P < 0.05). The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) method with varimax rotation and SPSS software was performed to identify the main factors of the questionnaire and interpretable factors. The internal consistency and external reliability were determined. The test-retest was used for evaluating the stability of tools. During the assessment of the face and content validity 71 items remained in the questionnaire. EFA led to the extraction of nine dimensions: "Focusing on superior rewards," "Response Efficacy," "Perceived physical threat," "Perceived social threat," "Self-efficacy," "Fear control," "Attitude," "Fear," and "Intention" Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test (0.957) and Bartlett's test (P < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha (0.871-0.951) and ICC (0.985-0.998) were approved for scale dimensions. Important findings of the present study were the development and validation of the EPPM-HTSQ for measuring EPPM variables in relation to HTS; introducing a new variable "focusing on superior rewards"; as well as, the new classification of the concept of "perceived threat." The final version of the EPPM-HTSQ is a valid and reliable tool, but it is suggested to be re-evaluated in other studies with different populations and sample sizes.

Protective action as an enduring keystone of risk communication: Effective form, function and process of risk messaging as advocated by global higher education practitioners during a pandemic

AbstractRisk communication is a keystone in crisis prevention and mitigation. For that purpose, many institutions worldwide have the task of translating scientific risk information into actionable messages for public safety. As a collaboration among international risk and crisis communication scholars and practitioners, we sought to identify what risk communication practitioners at higher education organizations in the Global South and North identify as essential elements of effective risk communication, based on 32 interviews in 16 countries during the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic (June–August, 2020). Results exemplify a shared vision for addressing the stickiest, most wicked challenges to effective risk communication globally. The interviews revealed globally shared best practices related to form, function, and process leading directly to what we consider the keystone of effective risk communication: saving lives (outcome).

Experiences and lessons from structural interventions against COVID-19 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Fighting pandemics like COVID-19 requires implementing successful structural and behavioral interventions that attempt to change the social and political environments to increase adherence to preventive behavior among community members. However, studying structural interventions implemented during pandemics and their challenges remains to be uncharted territory in developing implemented countries. Given this, we documented the experiences of implementing such interventions in Ethiopia with the aim of drawing lessons for future efforts to fight similar outbreaks in resource limited and low-income settings. We conducted a qualitative study between September and October 2021. Data were collected through face to face and telephone interviews from purposefully selected stakeholders from government and private sectors engaged in social interventions to prevent COVID-19. The systematization and the analysis of the data were conducted with MAXQDA 2020 software. Ethiopia implemented structural and social interventions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. This included: developing national policy and guidelines, mainstreaming COVID-19 interventions to local organizations, implementing capacity development programs, and developing strategies to engage the community, through traditional institutions, in intervention activities. In addition, a mass communication approach was used to deliver risk messages. This yielded a promising result in slowing down the spread of COVID-19 in the capital of Ethiopia-Addis Ababa. On the other hand, competing interests, misconceptions, capacity constraints among professionals and organizations, limited capacity to enforce legislation and lack of motivation for change from the community side affected the implementation and the outcomes of interventions. Going forward, these challenges need to be taken into consideration when designing and implementing structural interventions to contain disease outbreaks effectively. The study highlighted that attempts to withstand pandemic in low- and middle-income settings shall successfully utilize local resources, act swiftly when pandemics outbreak and adjust themselves to the dynamic challenges and limitations of structural interventions.

Differential effects of digital media platforms on climate change risk information-sharing intention: A moderated mediation model.

This study analyzes the mechanisms through which risk messages about climate change lead to people's risk information-sharing intention, and how digital media platform type serves as a context that moderates those mechanisms. Our analysis is informed by the influence of presumed influence (IPI) model, and we adapt and expand that model in three ways. First, we apply the concept of perceived media reach to the context of digital media platforms, specifically news aggregators and social networking sites. Second, we integrate the two mediators of risk perception and presumed influence. Third, we examine potential moderating roles of digital media platforms in the IPI model. An online survey was conducted among 1000 South Korean adults, and a moderated mediation model (PROCESS Macro Model 59) generated the following results. (1) Perceived media reach was positively related to both mediators-risk perception and presumed influence. (2) By way of those two mediators, perceived reach significantly led to information-sharing intention. (3) Presumed influence, but not risk perception, was significantly related to information-sharing intention. (4) Digital media platforms moderated the relation between perceived reach and risk perception: the role of content-related risk perception was more pronounced in news aggregators, while the role of context-related presumed influence was greater in social networking sites. Theoretical and practical implications for risk communication are discussed.