SO HOW DID WE GET HERE?

THERE’S NO SINGLE REASON that half-truths, deliberate untruths, and simple misunderstandings are undermining the acceptance and sharing of science-backed information. It’s a complex tangle of many factors. But if I’m forced to pick the one that has done the most to supercharge this era of bad info, the choice is obvious: social media. In July, President Joe Biden went so far as to say that misinformation on social media is “killing people,” a lament that is both alarming and supported by a growing body of evidence.

If you get your news from social media, you are more likely to believe and spread misinformation, according to a 2020 study from McGill University. An analysis by Pew Research