Mapping persuasion strategies of Turkish anti-vaccine advocates on Instagram: a McGuire-based analysis of digital misinformation and political discourse

This study contributes methodologically by adapting McGuire’s Communication-Persuasion Matrix into a structured thematic analysis framework applied to both visual and textual content on Instagram. We analyzed 2,114 posts from five influential antivaccine accounts in Turkey, focusing on 1,747 posts directly relevant to persuasion strategies used before and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2018–2020). Using MAXQDA software and a coding scheme validated with high inter-coder reliability (κ = 0.91), we identified 13 distinct persuasion tactics. These include framing potential risks, presenting pseudo-scientific translations, employing sarcasm, advancing conspiracy theories, referencing non-expert authorities, and advocating vaccine refusal. The tactics were mapped to McGuire’s model components – such as message content, message style, source credibility, and receiver characteristics – highlighting how classical persuasion theory can inform qualitative content analysis. Our findings reveal that these Instagram accounts function as echo chambers in a post-truth environment, where misinformation circulates unchecked and is reinforced within the network. This study not only enhances our understanding of antivaccine rhetoric but also offers a replicable method for applying communication theory to digital health discourse.