Discovering Image Usage Online: A Case Study With "Flatten the Curve''
Shawn M. Jones Diane Oyen
Understanding the spread of images across the web helps us understand the
reuse of scientific visualizations and their relationship with the public. The
"Flatten the Curve" graphic was heavily used during the COVID-19 pandemic to
convey a complex concept in a simple form. It displays two curves comparing the
impact on case loads for medical facilities if the populace either adopts or
fails to adopt protective measures during a pandemic. We use five variants of
the "Flatten the Curve" image as a case study for viewing the spread of an
image online. To evaluate its spread, we leverage three information channels:
reverse image search engines, social media, and web archives. Reverse image
searches give us a current view into image reuse. Social media helps us
understand a variant's popularity over time. Web archives help us see when it
was preserved, highlighting a view of popularity for future researchers. Our
case study leverages document URLs can be used as a proxy for images when
studying the spread of images online.