«The dissemination of misinformation has always existed. What happens now is that we have highways that allow the rapid dissemination of that misinformation,» stated journalist and misinformation expert Marc Amorós during a conference organized by Pfizer on the relationship between this phenomenon and the science and health sector.
It is worth noting that 20 percent of the Spanish population has admitted to receiving false information about science and health, mainly through social media, according to a study by the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT).
«We are living in a golden age of misinformation, where manipulated content prioritizes emotional impact and hinders the construction of necessary consensuses to address major global challenges,» he emphasized.
Following this, he listed a series of false headlines such as ‘Cancerous tumors are sacks of eggs filled with parasites that can be cured with ivermectin,’ ‘Cabbage reduces breast cancer mortality,’ or ‘Introducing ozone through the anus or vagina cures cancer, AIDS, and Alzheimer’s,’ among others that have gone viral on social media.
All of this aims not so much for people to believe in their «lies» but rather to stop believing in the truth, something that misinformation spreaders are already achieving, as only 31 percent of Spaniards trust information from the media, according to a study by Ipsos.
«Fake news is not random information, it’s not something that happens by chance or accident. It’s not jokes or anecdotes without importance. Fake news has an intention, it serves purposes, in the end, it’s an industry,» added Amorós.
MISINFORMATION THROUGHOUT HISTORY
On his part, disseminator and host of the program ‘El punto sobre la Historia,’ David Botello, agreed that misinformation did not originate in social media, online media, or with the printing press, but rather the narrative of manipulation has always existed, a phenomenon from which «science has not been exempt.»
He illustrated how misinformation and public manipulation have existed throughout history, citing examples such as Ramses II and the falsification of his victory in the Battle of Qadesh (1274 BC), the propaganda in favor of King Fernando VII during the Spanish War of Independence, the early anti-vaccine movements that emerged when Louis Pasteur invented them, the caricatures of Charles Darwin for his theory of evolution, or the propaganda machinery of Nazism led by Joseph Goebbels.
«The manipulation of the narrative has been a key tool of power to influence society, and understanding that history helps us to face the current challenges of misinformation with more perspective,» he stated during his intervention.
The Communications Director of Pfizer Spain, Maite Hernández, highlighted that science must be «accessible, understandable, and based on verified data and facts,» and emphasized that misinformation is a «threat» to both public health and scientific progress.
ATTACKS AGAINST SCIENCE COMMUNICATORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Attempting to take a stand against these trends can lead to difficulties in their transmission, as up to 51 percent of Spanish science communicators have faced attacks on social media while carrying out their work, leading 16 percent of them to temporarily or permanently abandon these activities.
To address the growing misinformation, science journalist and head of editorial at the Science Media Center Spain (SMC) of FECYT, Laura Chaparro, highlighted the center’s role as an «essential bridge» between the scientific community and the media, providing access to expert sources, organizing information sessions, and developing resources for journalists and the public, thus improving the «public conversation» about science and health.
Among the main challenges she identified is increasing the population’s trust in both information sources and public institutions, which is related to a lower belief in false claims and a reduced willingness to share this misinformation, according to a study published in the journal ‘Nature.’
«These findings demonstrate that the fight against misinformation must go beyond mere denial or prevention, also focusing on strengthening institutional trust as a key strategy,» she affirmed.
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FUENTE