For the month of October, we had a special SciComm Challenge. This challenge, focused on creating a visual metaphor of an infodemic and how we can prevent or combat it, was co-hosted by Cochrane for World Evidence-Based Healthcare Day (October 20).
We also released two courses last month, Countering Misinformation in the Information Age and What is an Infodemic and How Can We Prevent It?
Infodemics are so named because they often accompany pandemics or public health emergencies. The COVID-19 infodemic is a WHO-declared pandemic that is running parallel with the COVID-19 pandemic. This infodemic, according to Tiffany Duque at Cochrane, is “too much information, including false or misleading information, in digital and physical environments during a disease outbreak” that causes confusion and risk-taking behaviors, and can lead to mistrust in health authorities.
How can we counter or fight this infodemic? There are a number of ways that we can all help, from verifying information before we share it online to creating more understandable and relatable science and health messages.
That’s where our challenge comes in! Lifeology community members submitted visual metaphors to explain what an infodemic is or an approach or strategy for countering misinformation and fighting the infodemic.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this month’s SciComm challenge! Select submissions were featured on Cochrane’s website, and we feature a roundup here.
Submissions:
“Sleuth before you share! Only like or forward information after you’ve completed your investigation.” -Carrie Ekeroth (@Sketchimal)
Submission by Emma Melchor (@emmitagm)
“Be a science spy! Avoid the lasers of misinformation and follow the science to get to the facts!” –Nicki Shaw (@nickisdoodles)
“Filter before sharing.” -María Braeuner (@braeuNERD)
“Infodemic is ‘a stressed & feared human transforms the information without checking the facts to a layman'” –Tausif Ahmed Sayed (@TausifSciComm)
Submissions by Sindhuri Upadrasta
