© Benjamin SchüzIn the wake of the Corona pandemic, the WHO has warned of yet another threat, the so-called "infodemic”. While most of the steadily increasing amount of false information, typically targeting the protective measures or vaccinations, occurs on social media, recently, more and more flyers have landed in people´s mailboxes or stickers slapped on lampposts. As part of a feature on "buten un binnen" (broadcasted 27.06.2021), Daniel Diethei from the Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) lab, Christopher Jones, Benjamin Schüz and Tina Jahnel from IPP reported on a project funded by the VolkswagenFoundation. Together with Rehana Shreshta (IPP) and Johannes Schöning (HCI), they are investigating the paths via which misinformation spreads and how this spread can be curbed.
While misinformation is particularly easy to spread on social media, it can also be quickly flagged as false. Printed misinformation, however, often goes unchallenged and reaches people who otherwise have no access to these channels. Since, in addition to appealing layouts, they often quote statistics and supposed experts, printed misinformation are often difficult to recognize as such.
A better understanding of the different contents and distribution channels of digital and printed misinformation can help to develop strategies to curb the spread of such misinformation.
A recording of the TV feature as well as the interview are available on the "buten un binnen" website via the following link: https://www.butenunbinnen.de/nachrichten/gesellschaft/fake-news-flyer-forschung-bremen-100.html
Contact:
Christopher Jones
University of Bremen
Faculty 11 Human and Health Sciences
Institute of Public Health und Nursing Research
Department for Prevention and Health Promotion
Mail: jones@uni-bremen.de
