In this paper, we determine associations between social media use and beliefs in conspiracy theories and misinformation among African American communities in Tuskegee County. We will study a high community with significant social problems. The primary goal of this work is to visualize how information (both false and accurate) flows through social media, traditional media, and social networks to influence decision-making in rural areas. The second goal is to examine how various other factors moderate this influence. We will examine the impacts of education, age, and other demographics, as well as measure Gigerenzer’s concept of “risk literacy” which examines the accuracy of people’s perceived notions of risk. We will develop our model based on data collected from in-person meetings and town halls, questionnaires, and other information collected to measure peoples’ social media use, social networks, and their beliefs about issues such as the efficacy of COVID vaccines, their trust in the health care system, their beliefs about mental health.
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