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Believing What You’re Told without Knowing If It’s True: The Dangers of Disinformation
Disinformation can have a damaging effect on societal credibility and, most worryingly, on the actions and decisions people take, unaware if what they’ve been told is reliable, an outright lie or, most likely, a half-truth.
One afternoon, while I was at the local shopping mall, I was approached by a woman who must have been about 30 or 40. Having expected a query about the location of a shop or the classic “what time is it?” I was shocked by what came out of her mouth seconds later. This woman, instead of seeking answers, had stopped me to give me a warning.“That thing in your ear can give you cancer,” she said.
In the moment, I had been listening to music through a single-ear Bluetooth earphone, a predecessor to the popular modern wireless headphones. This total stranger, whom I had just encountered in the middle of the mall, was trying to convince me that, according to her, the prolonged use of these small accessories could end up killing me.
And yet, several years on from this random interaction, I have not developed cancer, neither in my ears nor in any other part of my body. This is, of course, because the woman’s beliefs were complete fiction; there is currently no scientific evidence whatsoever that suggests Bluetooth technology causes cancer, a claim backed by numerous investigations from esteemed health organizations that have found no causal relationship.
This introduction is a useful anecdote in the context of disinformation, a problem that has become part of our daily lives and accessible through social media, where those who spread “fake news”’have found effective ways to disseminate a whole host of theories.
Just a few days ago, we witnessed a despicable example of disinformation, starring none other than the president of the United States. In a White House press conference, Donald Trump claimed that Tylenol, medicine used to alleviate fever symptoms, was linked to an uptick in cases of autism, leading him to discourage pregnant women from taking it. “Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t give Tylenol to the baby after the baby’s born,” Trump exclaimed.
This controversial advice has caused a great deal of commotion in the medical and scientific communities, not just in North America but around the world. The World Health Organization was one of the first agencies to clarify the situation, stating there is “currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and the use of acetaminophen [Tylenol] … during pregnancy.” Similarly, the European Medicines Agency said that “no link with neurodevelopment disorders could be established” following studies carried out some years ago.
Even though Trump claimed to have heard “a rumor” about an alleged reduction in autism cases in Cuba where, in his words, “they don’t have Tylenol,” in reality what people will remember is what he said, not the extent to which they are true.
This is exactly why disinformation is so dangerous, when people make decisions or take action based on what they know, have heard or are told, without fact-checking information beforehand.
Just think back to the COVID-19 pandemic, when “fake news” spread rapidly about the origins of the virus, its potential “cures” and remedies, and even the components of the vaccine (the effects of the latter are still felt today). The idea that 5G mobile networks could be linked to this, or any other illness, seems ludicrous, but the reality is that many people believe it.
When disinformation comes from sources we should trust, such aa authorities or key figures in society, the issue becomes even more serious, considering the positions they hold and the level of education they possess. This is not to say they are inherently trustworthy; there is always an element of doubt about the origins of information shared by public figures.
It is not just authorities and public figures who should share reliably sourced information; parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, neighbors, community leaders and organizers, and business representatives also bear responsibility — to name just a few examples — in situations that involve depending on others.
In a previous article in which I expressed a similar opinion about the effectiveness of vaccines, there was the same conclusion: An individual should not contradict science, and certainly not with uncorroborated theories or assertions that have not undergone rigorous and impartial evaluation.
Recognizing the latent danger of misinformation in the world, we must act sensibly and consistently, committing ourselves to always speak based on facts rather than mere rumors. When we are unsure about something, verification will be our most effective tool, leaving room for doubt until we can confirm or rule out what we have heard.
One afternoon, while I was at the local shopping mall, I was approached by a woman who must have been about 30 or 40. Having expected a query about the location of a shop or the classic “what time is it?” I was shocked by what came out of her mouth seconds later. This woman, instead of seeking answers, had stopped me to give me a warning.“That thing in your ear can give you cancer,” she said.
In the moment, I had been listening to music through a single-ear Bluetooth earphone, a predecessor to the popular modern wireless headphones. This total stranger, whom I had just encountered in the middle of the mall, was trying to convince me that, according to her, the prolonged use of these small accessories could end up killing me.
And yet, several years on from this random interaction, I have not developed cancer, neither in my ears nor in any other part of my body. This is, of course, because the woman’s beliefs were complete fiction; there is currently no scientific evidence whatsoever that suggests Bluetooth technology causes cancer, a claim backed by numerous investigations from esteemed health organizations that have found no causal relationship.
This introduction is a useful anecdote in the context of disinformation, a problem that has become part of our daily lives and accessible through social media, where those who spread “fake news”’have found effective ways to disseminate a whole host of theories.
Just a few days ago, we witnessed a despicable example of disinformation, starring none other than the president of the United States. In a White House press conference, Donald Trump claimed that Tylenol, medicine used to alleviate fever symptoms, was linked to an uptick in cases of autism, leading him to discourage pregnant women from taking it. “Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t give Tylenol to the baby after the baby’s born,” Trump exclaimed.
This controversial advice has caused a great deal of commotion in the medical and scientific communities, not just in North America but around the world. The World Health Organization was one of the first agencies to clarify the situation, stating there is “currently no conclusive scientific evidence confirming a possible link between autism and the use of acetaminophen [Tylenol] … during pregnancy.” Similarly, the European Medicines Agency said that “no link with neurodevelopment disorders could be established” following studies carried out some years ago.
Even though Trump claimed to have heard “a rumor” about an alleged reduction in autism cases in Cuba where, in his words, “they don’t have Tylenol,” in reality what people will remember is what he said, not the extent to which they are true.
This is exactly why disinformation is so dangerous, when people make decisions or take action based on what they know, have heard or are told, without fact-checking information beforehand.
Just think back to the COVID-19 pandemic, when “fake news” spread rapidly about the origins of the virus, its potential “cures” and remedies, and even the components of the vaccine (the effects of the latter are still felt today). The idea that 5G mobile networks could be linked to this, or any other illness, seems ludicrous, but the reality is that many people believe it.
When disinformation comes from sources we should trust, such aa authorities or key figures in society, the issue becomes even more serious, considering the positions they hold and the level of education they possess. This is not to say they are inherently trustworthy; there is always an element of doubt about the origins of information shared by public figures.
It is not just authorities and public figures who should share reliably sourced information; parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents, neighbors, community leaders and organizers, and business representatives also bear responsibility — to name just a few examples — in situations that involve depending on others.
In a previous article in which I expressed a similar opinion about the effectiveness of vaccines, there was the same conclusion: An individual should not contradict science, and certainly not with uncorroborated theories or assertions that have not undergone rigorous and impartial evaluation.
Recognizing the latent danger of misinformation in the world, we must act sensibly and consistently, committing ourselves to always speak based on facts rather than mere rumors. When we are unsure about something, verification will be our most effective tool, leaving room for doubt until we can confirm or rule out what we have heard.
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