In this video we discuss the root causes and some extreme examples of fake news in science. How can we work together to stop this ongoing trend of misinformation and anti-science activism?

The structure of the information, the literacy of the consumer, and the accessibility of the material determine how the information is used, by whom, and the influence it ultimately has on a group, community, or society. However, there is perhaps a more dangerous perspective; that the way information is presented has the potential to misrepresent and distort, with important parallels and implication for engagement with research, media, and public policy in public forums, such as twitter and facebook. In some cases, if a series of google searches reveals informative (yet incomplete) summaries of evidence that misrepresent the rigor and strength of the component studies, it has the potential to change practice in a way that may be deleterious to future science, medicine, & public discussion.

Special Thanks to GradCast for hosting this episode and supporting the fight again Science Misinformation! Check out the full episode on their website: www.gradcast.ca or their youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQOc6TUPpSADZW7_hanKHEQ

Produced by Roger Hudson, PhDc

Directed by Dr. Mina Nashed, PhD

Visual Effects by Dr. Stephen Daniels, PhD

Audio Mixing by Dr. Paul Sheppard, PhD

Digital Marketing by Bryan Jenkins, PhDc

Theme music: MegaDisko by Navigator Black & the Indighost