MISINFORMATION, CONSPIRACY, AND POLITICIZATION IN DIGITALLY MEDIATED SCIENCE Rod Abhari(1), Lai Ma(2), Jodi Schneider(3), Simone Tosoni(4), Zachary Loeb(5) 1: Northwestern University, United States of America; 2: University College Dublin, Ireland; 3: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, United States of America; 4: Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy; 5: Purdue University, United States of America
The internet has transformed the dissemination and reception of scientific information, creating unique opportunities and challenges for public science. This panel explores the impact of digitally mediated communication on public perceptions of science, focusing on the proliferation of misinformation, conspiracy theories, and science politicization in online spaces. Drawing from diverse disciplinary perspectives, including communication, information science, and history, our panelists describe how various aspects of the digital influence public (mis)understandings of science. First, they discuss the epistemological nuances of preprint servers, retracted articles, and clickbait journalism, highlighting the need for a framework of scientific and digital literacy. They then explore how intermediaries like Wikipedia and social media facilitate scientific controversies, from Y2K to 5G, that circulate within scientific publics and counterpublics. Finally, they consider the challenges of using retractions to correct flawed science in an environment characterized by politicized scientific distrust. By elucidating these digital dynamics, the panel aims to inform the larger discussion of the public relevance of reliable scientific information in the face of politicized attacks on science.
