The “Infodemic” Infodemic: Toward a More Nuanced Understanding of Truth-Claims and the Need for (Not) Combatting Misinformation

Date01 March 2022
Published date01 March 2022
AuthorDietram A. Scheufele,Nicole M. Krause,Isabelle Freiling
DOI10.1177/00027162221086263
Subject MatterMisinformation
112 ANNALS, AAPSS, 700, March 2022
DOI: 10.1177/00027162221086263
The
“Infodemic”
Infodemic:
Toward a More
Nuanced
Understanding
of Truth-Claims
and the Need
for (Not)
Combatting
Misinformation
By
NICOLE M. KRAUSE,
ISABELLE FREILING,
and
DIETRAM A. SCHEUFELE
1086263ANN THE ANNALS OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMYTHE “INFODEMIC” INFODEMIC
research-article2022
Scholarship on (mis)information does not easily trans-
late into recommendations for policy-makers and policy
influencers who wish to judge the accuracy of science-
related truth claims. This is partly due to much of this
literature being based on lab experiments with captive
audiences that tell us little about the durability or scal-
ability of any potential intervention in the real world.
More importantly, the “accuracy” of scientific truth
claims is much more difficult to define than many schol-
ars in this space acknowledge. Uncertainties associated
with the nature of science, sociopolitical climates, and
media systems introduce compounding error in assess-
ments of claim accuracy. We, therefore, need a more
nuanced understanding of misinformation and disinfor-
mation than those often present in discussions of the
“infodemic.” Here, we propose a new framework for
evaluating science-related truth claims and apply it to
real-world examples. We conclude by discussing impli-
cations for research and action on (mis)information,
given that distinguishing between true and false claims
is not as easy as it is sometimes purported to be.
Keywords: misinformation; disinformation; truth
claims; classification; conceptualization;
science; risk
Scientists and policy actors have long
attempted to categorize the forms and
Nicole M. Krause is a doctoral candidate in the Department
of Life Sciences Communication at the University of
Wisconsin–Madison. Her work focuses on public percep-
tions of controversial science and issues of misinformation
in science communication contexts.
Isabelle Freiling is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department
of Communication at the University of Vienna. Her
research focuses on media use and effects, as well as
science and political communication, with a particular
focus on social media and misinformation.
Dietram A. Scheufele is the Taylor-Bascom Chair in
Science Communication and Vilas Distinguished
Achievement Professor in the Department of Life Sciences
Communication at the University of Wisconsin–Madison
and the Morgridge Institute for Research. His work exam-
ines the social effects of emerging science and technology.
Correspondence: nmkrause@wisc.edu

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