Bt Research 2025, Vol.16, No.4, 147-156 http://microbescipublisher.com/index.php/bt 150 the message that "scientists agree to be safe" to skeptics has limited effect on their attitude change. Similarly, for Bt public health measures, media reports may not only become a popular science support, but also create cognitive bias. If the media simplifies the description of community spraying Bti as “release bacteria in the environment,” the public may associate negative associations such as bacterial infections and biochemical risks, resulting in resistance. Some self-media and online platforms may exaggerate the potential problems of Bt applications in order to attract attention, or even spread rumors, aggravate the public's fear. 4 The Influence of Social and Cultural Factors on Acceptance 4.1 Cultural differences between risk perception and sense of security The public's risk perception and security perception of Bt measures are often affected by their social and cultural background, and there are differences between different countries, regions and groups. Intercultural research shows that the public in collectivist culture tends to trust the public health measures provided by the government, while the public in individualist culture is more likely to question official information and emphasize personal judgment (Alam and Siddiqui, 2019). In the context of oriental cultures such as China, the government has high credibility and the public generally believes that the government will not introduce measures that are harmful to the public. The Edelman Trust Survey shows that the Chinese public trust in the government is as high as 90%, and this high level of trust will help improve the public's acceptance of the official promotion of Bt mosquito control measures. Cultural differences are also reflected in tolerance for unknown technological risks. Bt public health measures. In an environment with good social security and high government credibility, the public prefers to believe in official evaluations, believing that Bt is a verified security measure, with a low perception of its potential risks and a strong sense of security. In an environment where social trust is lacking or technical disputes are frequent, the public may remain highly vigilant about Bt, carefully evaluate its risks, and have a low sense of security. Even if authoritative institutions endorse it, it is difficult to completely dispel doubts (Rusly, 2024). 4.2 Potential resistance of religious and ethical concepts to the application of Bt Religious beliefs and ethical concepts are important factors that affect the public's acceptance of new technologies. Some religious doctrines may lead believers to be resistant to measures such as "release bacteria" and "intervention in nature". In some Islamic cultural communities, residents may be concerned about whether the Bt preparation is halal and whether its use is in accordance with the doctrine precepts. A report pointed out that when some villages in Malaysia were promoting Wolbuck mosquitoes in the early days, religious leaders raised questions, believing that "mosquito prevention" was contrary to the laws of nature and needed to be approved by religious authoritative explanations before they could accept it with peace of mind. Some conservative ethics believe that humans should not easily release or transform organisms, and should treat ecosystems with caution, so as not to bring unexpected consequences to the arrogance of "man conquering nature". When the genetically modified mosquito trial was conducted in Burkina Faso, Africa, some local people and international NGOs expressed opposition based on ethical and environmental concerns, worried that "scientists are playing God." Although Bt technology is not gene-driven or genetically modified, the public may not make strict distinctions. As long as it involves releasing microorganisms or intervening in the ecology, it may cause similar ethical concerns. In addition, some religious cultures are instinctively rejecting "bacteria" and "worms", thinking that it is unclean or harmful. Therefore, when you hear that the government wants to release bacteria into the water, you will feel intuitively resistant. 4.3 Case analysis: differences in Southeast Asian communities' attitudes towards Bt mosquito control The acceptance of media prevention and control technology in Southeast Asian countries shows significant differences, which is a typical case of the influence of socio-cultural factors. Taking Malaysia and Indonesia as examples, the people of the two countries have different attitudes towards biological control of mosquitoes. In Malaysia, the government vigorously advocates community participation in the prevention and control of dengue fever under the multicultural context. From 2017 to 2019, the Malaysian Ministry of Health piloted the adoption
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ4ODYzNA==