A popular idea has been circulating on the Internet for some time now—that of the amusing argument that the earth is flat. I suppose it comes on the heels of another ridiculous pronouncement that climate change is a hoax. This despite the recent report by the scientists at the University of Swansea and the British Antarctic Survey that one of the biggest icebergs on record has broken away from Antarctica. Based on satellite monitors, it was confirmed that the 1 trillion ton iceberg, measuring 5,800 square kilometers broke off from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica sometime between July 10 and 12. It does not help that the current American president appears to support the no climate-change idea.
All of these put some scientists, and their work of many years, into question. While truth remains at the heart of every study or research, some individuals and organizations continue to proliferate fake news and spread fear and confusion among the public at large. In an article by Michael Bowen, NMHRC Doherty biomedical fellow and
senior lecturer at the University of Sydney, published on June 22 he said scientists must fight the culture of fake news with informed, evidence-based debates. To my mind, this advice may be good for combating fake news, in general, which is something that the local media is dealing with on a regular basis—especially at this time when social media seems to be at the forefront of journalism
and communication.
Bowen cited the Andrew Wakefield case as a “notorious example” of a breakdown of the researchers’ Code of Ethics. Wakefield was the scientist who published a paper based on falsified data about the link between autism and measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. He called for a suspension of this life-saving procedure. Despite his eventual retraction based on a “plethora of evidence” that proved him wrong, people continued to
believe the myth.
The result? A major outbreak in Minnesota and a sharp increase in new cases and major outbreaks in Europe, “with the populations of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Switzerland and Ukraine now all believed to have fallen below the critical 95-percent immunization threshold. If not for the careless research and the spread of fake news, these places would not be having this problem at this time because measles had already been eradicated from America.
Bowen says the principles at the core of the Code must be upheld at all times: researchers and the organizations that represent them must engage with the public, pursue the truth, maximize benefit and minimize harm, engage with decision-makers, support diversity, become mentors and be accountable.
For the record, the consensus among 97 percent of climate scientists is that man’s activities are changing the global climate. “This is equivalent to the consensus among health professionals that smoking causes lung and cardiovascular disease.” When one denies climate change and other truths based on cold, hard facts, one is denying clear consensus information coming from experts. The media, social media included, carries the responsibility of accurately representing the consensus view.
So the next time you are tempted to spread a hilarious, shocking, ridiculous piece of fake news, think about all the hard work that our scientists are going through and the huge sums of money being spent on research. Researchers and scientists are being called to become responsible. I think the public, in general, has equal responsibility.
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