Theoretical Dimensions, Structural Causes and Governance Reflection of “Infodemic”

[Purpose/Significance] “Infodemic” involves two kinds of pandemic affecting the global economic and social development. Different from the traditional epidemic, “infodemic” is not only about the spread of misinformation and disinformation of infectious diseases, but also involves the large-scale spread of bad emotions. [Design/Methodology] Through theoretical deduction and case analysis, “infodemic” can be divided into four types: uncertain “epidemic” and panic, moralized “epidemic” and resentment, suffering “epidemic” and sympathy fatigue, and misunderstood “epidemic” and joke . [Conclusions/Findings] Spatiotemporal mediatization, virus networking and public emotionalization are the main reasons for the emergence of “infodemic”. At present, “infodemic” has become a new normal accompanied by major public health emergencies, which requires us to think about information, epidemic and emotion in a linkage way, to service the epidemic prevention and control.