Tag: Misinformation

Misinformation slows the vaccination campaign according to a study by the Politecnico di Milano published in Nature Scientific Reports

Stuart Mitchell

Online misinformation has negatively impacted the US COVID-19 vaccination campaign. This emerges from a study by Francesco Pierri, researcher at the Politecnico di Milano, in collaboration with Indiana University as part of the H2020 Periscope project, published in Nature Scientific Reports. The objective of this study is to demonstrate whether or not there are statistically significant associations between the quality of information consumed online and the “anti-vax” sentiment of the US population, with consequent repercussions on the vaccination campaign. The study confirmed a statistically significant association between the amount of…

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Vaccination Demand Observatory launched to strengthen local communication programmes to address vaccine misinformation

Stuart Mitchell

To combat vaccine hesitancy worldwide, PGP, (The Public Good Projects), UNICEF and Yale Institute for Global Health have launched the Vaccination Demand Observatory. As countries begin rolling out COVID-19 vaccination, public health experts know that the last inch — getting the vaccine from vial to arm — can be the hardest. Public uncertainty in the current pandemic has been exacerbated by an “infodemic,” a confusing epidemic of information and misinformation. The Vaccination Demand Observatory (The Observatory) is developing tools, training, technical support and research to equip in-country teams to mitigate…

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PRCA welcomes recommendations to tackle misinformation

Stuart Mitchell

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) has welcomed the Committee on Democracy and Digital Technologies’ tackling the ‘pandemic of misinformation’ on tech giants’ platforms report. The report outlines a series of recommendations for the Government to action without delay to ensure tech giants are held accountable for the harm done to individuals, wider society, and the democratic processes through misinformation spread on their platforms. Recommendations include: – Publish a draft Online Harms Bill now that covers the impact of disinformation. This should give Ofcom the power to hold digital platforms legally…

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UNESCO Empowers Journalists to Counter Disinformation and Misinformation

Stuart Mitchell

As disinformation and misinformation escalates during the current pandemic, public’s access to trusted and timely information becomes ever more vital. More than ever, we are aware of the urgency of fighting disinformation and strengthening quality journalism. Journalists have a pivotal role to play in reporting effectively and to deliver reliable public information during critical times. To empower journalists, journalism educators, and future journalists to perform such critical tasks, UNESCO had launched the English version of the “Journalism, ‘Fake News’ and Disinformation: A Handbook for Journalism Education and Training” back in…

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Yext Takes Aim at Online Misinformation with First Ever Ad Campaign “The Man Without the Answers”

Stuart Mitchell

Yext, Inc., the Search Experience Cloud company, has launched its first-ever advertising campaign, tapping creative agency powerhouse TBWA\Chiat\Day NY to develop its provocative new platform, “The Man Without the Answers.” With research conducted by Yext revealing 82% of answers about brands online are unverified, the company has taken aim at the spread of misinformation with its new creative campaign. The central piece is a hero 90 second campaign video by award-winning director Kenny Herzog, which takes a comical approach to the spread of fake news and misinformation on the internet. While…

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