Misinformation on social media threatens trust in science

Researchers warn that misinformation on social media is eroding people’s trust in science. Americans are increasingly relying on false information on climate change, vaccinations and more.

Pew Research data from September 2022 shows that more than 50% of US adults rely on some form of social media to get news.

On the political front, there is a widening divide in people's faith in scientists. Just 24% of the Republicans surveyed think scientific experts are good at policy decisions related to scientific issues, compared to 55% of the Democrats who think so too.

It implies the trust gap between scientists is growing along political lines and social media is at the center of it.

Researchers say the “reward structure” on social media encourages spreading information “that engages others and attracts social recognition,” irrespective of whether it's true or false.

The Noble Foundation and National Academy of Sciences organized a three-day meeting to discuss the causes and effects of false information and the social media platforms’ “reward’ system, emphasizing the need to restructure social media platforms to promote correct information sharing.

But are social media willing to comply with such restructuring efforts? Just a day back, Twitter pulled out of the EU’s voluntary code to fight disinformation.