Social Media Postings from Members of the Jordanian Parliament on the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

This study sheds light on the use of social media, particularly Facebook, by members of the 19th Jordanian Parliament to address the COVID-19 crisis. The study examines the patterns, sources, tones, and frames adopted in COVID-19-related posts by Jordanian Members of Parliament. A content analysis approach is used to collect data, relying on the theory of social responsibility. A total of 634 posts regarding COVID-19 were taken from 39 different Facebook accounts of MPs, selected through simple random sampling. Among the notable findings of this study: text accompanied by images was the most commonly used format by MPs, and official sources were the most preferred by Jordanian MPs regarding COVID-19 information. Additionally, most posts had a neutral tone, while the majority were framed within a responsibility framework. This study encourages further research attention on the use of social media by political leaders during health crises.