Interview with Prof. Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou, UZH, Fellow and Leader, Visiting Assistant Professor, Media Lab/Social Machines, Assistant Professor, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Why is spreading false medical/health news dangerous in your opinion?
How could the general public be educated about the recognition of false health news, and how could awareness be raised on the misinformation spreading over social media platforms?
Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou: In the vast digital terrain and across the diverse social networking platforms, the diffusion of misinformation can get very easily out of control. The problem is much more complex to be addressed as health misinformation has started to infiltrate more mainstream channels. Politicians with a populistic rhetoric often endorse false claims about the efficiency of science. Media often use a fear-inducing language that amplifies the uncertainty in the public. Misinformation itself is mostly dangerous when it is adsorbed onto existing personal beliefs and perceptions. This way, false claims and half-informed arguments guide ill-informed decisions that may have serious implications for our own health as well as for the public health. I believe that in order to address misinformation, we need to introduce and accommodate initiatives that foster deep and insightful conversations with people in order to understand how their personal experiences have influenced the way they think and feel about the topic. Changing the content of information itself cannot address the challenge of false news effectively, unless we can understand in great nuance what makes misinformation appealing to people.
By which measures is the Fakeology project aiming at enhancing science communication and empowering public health policy?
Dimitra Dimitrakopoulou: My research aims at providing insights on multiple levels of how misinformation is spread and reinforced into the public conversation. First, I focus on the content and through network analysis and digital ethnography, I identify pseudo-scientific news and misinformed claims around childhood vaccination that is propagated in the digital space. These pockets of misinformation are further amplified when vocalized and sensationalized by prominent public figures, such as politicians, celebrities and activists. Diagnosing the different types of misinformation can help us understand which are the ones most prone to be propagated in the digital space and then explore best practices to debunk them. Second, I focus on people through hosting facilitated dialogue groups with parents to elevate their personal stories as a means of gaining insight into their different perceptions, concerns and values around childhood vaccination. Results and insights of the research will deepen our understanding of how pseudo-scientific news is diffused within social networks and how it affects human judgement and behaviour. Thus, my research aims at enhancing the efficiency of science communication professionals and empower media institutions, scientists and public health policy makers to introduce false-proof health literacy initiatives.