High profile Facebook post provides insights into pro- and anti-vaccination beliefs

One of the challenges to understanding the concerns behind vaccine hesitancy is that very seldom are people with worries about vaccines and vaccine advocates brought together in the same space, especially online. In January 2016, however, Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg posted a photo of himself holding his baby with the caption “Doctor’s visit — time for vaccines!” With his undeniable reach, the post represented a unique opportunity to analyze the language used to express pro- vaccination and anti-vaccination viewpoints and understand how people on both sides of the debate perceive the risks of vaccination.