Isobelle Clarke, Lancaster University The scientific method is rigorous. Claims and premises are supported with evidence. The peer review system is designed to ensure that research is scrutinised by experts before publication. And whenever researchers lack certainty, they’ll emphasise that “further research is necessary” to land on the truth. Unfortunately, fake science websites are learning […]
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Herman Wasserman, University of Cape Town The large-scale contamination of the public sphere by rumours, hate speech, dangerous conspiracy theories and orchestrated deception campaigns is causing widespread concern around the world. These ills are collectively referred to as “information disorder” . The disorder results from a range of factors. They include a rapidly changing media […]
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Mikey Biddlestone, University of Cambridge and Sander van der Linden, University of Cambridge In recent decades, people in the UK have watched climate change shift from being an abstract threat discussed on the news to an increasingly common presence in everyday life. As the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, floods and other extreme weather events […]
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Over 50 journalists from radio, TV, print and online media in Uganda have completed a course on fact-checking. The virtual training which was held on 18, 19 and 20th August 2021, is part of the freedom of expression programme being implemented by the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), in partnership with the Ford Foundation. […]
Continue readingPeter Cunliffe-Jones, University of Westminster; Alan Finlay, University of the Witwatersrand, and Anya Schiffrin Misinformation, best understood as false or misleading information whether or not it was intended to mislead, has long been recognised as a problem worldwide. Together with disinformation, which is spread deliberately to misinform or mislead, it constitutes a key part of […]
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Image by Muhammad Ribkhan from Pixabay H. Colleen Sinclair, Mississippi State University The problem of misinformation isn’t going away. Internet platforms like Facebook and Twitter have taken some steps to curb its spread and say they are working on doing more. But no method yet introduced has been completely successful at removing all misleading […]
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Herman Wasserman, University of Cape Town The prevalence of disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic has prompted Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) to warn that: We’re not just fighting an epidemic; we’re fighting an infodemic. The infodemic is defined as an overabundance of information, some accurate and some not, during […]
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UNESCO has published two policy briefs that offer insights into COVID-19-related disinformation. It notes that COVID-19 has led to a parallel pandemic of disinformation that directly impacts lives and livelihoods around the world. Falsehoods and misinformation have proven deadly and sowed confusion about life-saving personal and policy choices. The first policy paper, Disinfodemic: Deciphering COVID-19 […]
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