Misinformation and Science in Media

Description

The prevailing scientific agreement on crucial subjects such as climate change or vaccines is becoming more contentious, with vigorous debates taking place on social media and even in mainstream media. Novel technological developments such as artificial intelligence are depicted with a range of attitudes, from alarmist to enthusiastic.

Public comprehension of significant scientific and technological issues is frequently lacking, with misinformation about fundamental topics, ranging from natural selection to global warming, being widespread.

The question then arises: How can the public discourse surrounding science and technology be better understood and improved?

In a three-year scheme, researchers from the Oxford Internet Institute and the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism are investigating the relationship between systematic misinformation campaigns, media coverage, and the growing importance of social media platforms for public understanding of science and technological innovation. The scheme addresses the issues of "junk science", "fake news", and public policy matters.

Three central questions are considered:

• How does public comprehension of science and technology differ across countries, and how are these differences related to variances in media consumption?
• To what extent do misinformation campaigns on social media affect public learning about science and technology?
• How can scientists, journalists, and policymakers improve their communication about science and new innovations to support evidence-based policymaking and counteract misinformation and junk science?

To date, understanding the interplay between the public, misinformation campaigns, and social media has been inadequate, with most research focused on elections and public office candidates rather than broader but equally vital issues of science communication.

The goal is to integrate social science and computer science to address the detrimental effects of computational propaganda and other digitally-enabled misinformation campaigns on scientific innovation, policymaking, and public life. Stakeholders in journalism, the technology industry, the scientific community, and among policymakers are involved in the search for evidence-based, actionable interventions.

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No, this infrastructure does not provide funding.

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University of Oxford
Oxford

University of Oxford
Oxford

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Oxford Internet Institute (OII)

The Oxford Internet Institute (OII) is a multidisciplinary research and teaching department of the University of Oxford, dedicated to studying the social science of the Internet. The Institute was est… read more about Oxford Internet Institute (OII)

Oxford

Reuters Institute

The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism focuses on exploring the future of journalism globally through debate, engagement, and research. Its mission is to uphold independent journalism, reco… read more about Reuters Institute

Oxford