Scientific Dissemination, Misinformation, and Human Rights

Abstract

One of the great challenges of contemporary science is to promote the dissemination of knowledge in times of misinformation. An obstacle stands in the way of scientific dissemination: the industrialized production of falsehoods, which ultimately distorts, falsifies, forges, decontextualizes, and/or withholds information about scientific content. So-called fake news has today become the main barrier to the popularization of science. The article discusses conceptual and historical issues related to misinformation, understood as a powerful weapon of political strategy and ideological warfare. It examines research on denialist discourse regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, which flooded Twitter with fallacious messages about the supposed cure for the disease through early treatment—a discourse contested by health authorities. It addresses the violation of human rights on social networks, especially due to 1) the omission and inaction of government institutions; 2) the lack of transparency on the part of digital platforms; and 3) the business model of technological conglomerates. Confronting misinformation requires changes in this economic architecture to seek a more plural, democratic communication network that respects human rights.