Measuring the crisis: Quantification-based legitimizations of public health measures and their temporal, factual, and political–social critique during the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany

Quantifications played an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, not only in providing current situational information but also in legitimizing state-imposed protective measures and restrictions. Contrary to more theoretical assumptions in the literature, however, figures or statistics were not simply accepted. This article undertakes a qualitative content analysis of user comments on Twitter (now: X) that respond to quantification-based legitimizations of state-instructed protective measures in Germany. The analysis identifies three main areas of critique: the timeliness and relevance of data, its factual accuracy, and the political implications of their use in justifying protective measures. The overlap of epistemic and normative criticism points to broader conflicts of knowledge and values, where concerns extend beyond the validity of data. The article emphasizes the importance of a reflexive approach that remains sensitive to the challenges and pitfalls of quantifications in the design of future risk and crisis communication strategies.