The negative consequences of the spread of health misinformation across populations, media platforms, and topics are well-documented. As the research evolves, there’s also concerning upheavals and tensions affecting this scholarship. The current sociopolitical dynamics have rendered this area “controversial,” if not entirely off-limits for those seeking US federal funding.  As a former NIH program official overseeing a portfolio on health communication and social media, Dr. Wen-Ying Sylvia Chou witnessed the self-censorship of health misinformation researchers in an effort to avoid running afoul of unspoken rules about allowable research.  Since her resignation from the government, censorship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has only increased and become normalized.

In this talk, Dr. Chou will share her observations and reflections on the future of this area of scholarship.  She urges the academic community to collectively confront and learn from the recent attacks the misinformation research field has withstood.  When a given topic is falsely labeled as “political,” “controversial,” or “woke, ” we can uncover motives and agendas, engage in discussions and debates, and fight back by following professional ethical standards and the rule of law.  Meanwhile, it is all the more important to continue the research and, whenever possible, challenge censorship attempts: when we stop studying the causes and consequences of misinformation, not only is the public’s health on the line, but so is truth and democracy.

Dr. Chou will conclude by identifying several critical and timely research opportunities that can inform effective ways to address misinformation and improve the health and well-being of people across diverse communities. Priority areas include uncovering and proactively countering the tactics of major misinformation spreaders, scaling up tested mitigation interventions, and broader efforts aimed at addressing root causes of misinformation spread.

The Misinformation Speaker Series is co-sponsored by the Shorenstein Center for Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School and the Institute for Information, the Internet, and Democracy (IIID) at Northeastern University.