The Instrumentalization of Science in Anti-Vaccine Groups on WhatsApp in Brazil

Background: This study explores how scientific research is used by groups opposed to COVID-19 vaccines on WhatsApp in Brazil. While anti-vaccine narratives often present themselves as critical of science, their relationship with scientific literature is more complex and strategic. Analysis: Using thematic and content analyses, we examined how 39 scientific articles and preprints were cited across six WhatsApp groups. Although only one of the referenced studies explicitly opposed vaccination, the majority of the messages framed the cited research in ways that contradicted established scientific consensus. This suggests a pattern of instrumentalization, in which science is selectively and strategically misrepresented to support anti-vaccine beliefs and conspiracy theories. Conclusions and implications: These findings indicate that anti-vaccine groups may not reject science outright but rather distort it to legitimize their views. Understanding how scientific content is manipulated in digital spaces is critical for developing more effective science communication and counter-disinformation strategies.