Social Media’s Role in Public Health Crisis Communication Across Global Cities: A Comparative Study of New York, Seoul, and Sydney

Abstract

This study explores how social media influences public health crisis communication (pandemic response, infectious disease outbreaks, environmental health risks) in New York (USA), Seoul (South Korea), and Sydney (Australia). It uses a mixed-methods approach—content analysis of official posts, public perception surveys, interviews with communicators—to analyze 4,200 social media artifacts (2021–2024) and 3,600 public responses, focusing on cross-cultural strategy differences and impact on compliance. Results: Seoul emphasizes „collective responsibility“ (e.g., K-pop partnerships for vaccination), achieving 82% compliance; New York focuses on „individual choice/accessibility“ (e.g., free testing threads), with 68% compliance; Sydney prioritizes „science transparency“ (e.g., epidemiologist Q&As), with 75% compliance. Misinformation is most prevalent in New York (28%) and least in Seoul (12%). The study develops a „Crisis Communication Adaptability Framework“ to guide future city responses.

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