This network is funded by a Royal Society of Edinburgh network grant, and seeks to unite science communicators and misinformation researchers to discuss the connection between research and policy, and to eventually make policy recommendations that are more aligned with research findings.
The questions the network addresses:
- Given that people are poor at detecting fake news and that sharing information online is often spontaneous, is it sensible to teach fake news detection or is a reliable fact check system more effective?
- What responsibilities/practices do social media platforms and journalists have in fact checking and how can we encourage collective fact check software and practices (i.e., general code of practice)?
- How can algorithms best detect fake news (speed of spreading, how they spread, similarity to true news) to provide guidance on identifying fake news by developing a “fake news probability” label?
- Should specific fake news be prioritised in detection such as those leading to negative behaviour change?
- What questions should policy makers focus on that make a real difference to the effects of spreading of fake news?
Aims and Outputs
- To establish a Scottish network to address spreading false information consisting of a core group of experts in Cognitive Psychology, network-Computer Science, Cognitive Science, Cyber Threat, Immunology, Behaviour Change, and stakeholders in journalism, politics, and social media. Additionally, international scientists in Social Psychology and memory, experts in science public speaking and dis/misinformation advocates will complement the Scottish core.
- To hold a series of hybrid network seminars at Edinburgh Napier University and online due the international scale of the network.
- To hold public events at locations such as the Banshee Labyrinth at Edinburgh Skeptics events, the SPICe seminar (Scottish Parliament Information Centre – Parliament’s international research hub providing impartial information and research services to MSPs, MSP staff, and other Parliament staff), at the Edinburgh Science Festival, and Edinburgh Festival (Fringe), Glasgow Science Centre.
- To build and maintain a website and a Twitter account to provide information on the questions the network addresses, and events, with the general audience as target group but also as a sign-post to policy makers.
- To develop a “fake news probability” label based on scientific findings – a traffic light system akin to food labels.
- To seek a publisher of a high-impact factor journal such as Cognitive Systems Research (IF 4.5), for a special issue on fake news spreading in humans and algorithms.