One leg at a time: medical librarians and fake news

Authors

  • Michelle Kraft, AHIP, FMLA Co-Lead Editor, Journal of the Medical Library Association, Medical Library Director, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8821-4828

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2024.1858

Abstract

While there has been recent media attention to the issue of “fake news,” misinformation and disinformation has been a lasting part of human history. This Janet Doe Lecture presents the history of fake news, how it is spread and accepted, its impact on medical and health information, and medical librarian roles in limiting its spread and promoting correct health information.

References

Coohill, J. “Mark Twain: ‘A Lie Can Travel Halfway Around the World Before the Truth Puts on its Shoes’ – Quote or No Quote?” Professor Buzzkill History Podcast. September 30, 2020. Last accessed October 5, 2023. https://professorbuzzkill.com/twain-lie-travels/.

Smith, KA. “A WWII Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth that Carrots Help You See in the Dark. Smithsonian Magazine. August 13, 2013. Last accessed October 5, 2023. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-wwii-propaganda-campaign-popularized-the-myth-that-carrots-help-you-see-in-the-dark-28812484/.

Gravel, E. Killer Underwear Invastion! How to spot fake news, disinformation and conspiracy theories. San Francisco, California. Chronicle Books LLC. 2022.

Stroud, NJ. Polarization and Partisan Selective Exposure. Journal of Communication. 2010;60(3):556-576.

Martel C, Pennycook G, Rand DG. Reliance on emotion promotes belief in fake news. Cogn Res Princ Implic. 2020 Oct 7;5(1):47. DOI: 10.1186/s41235-020-00252-3. PMID: 33026546; PMCID: PMC7539247.

Cooke, N. Fake News and Alternative Facts: Information Literacy in a Post-Truth Era. Chicago, Illinois. ALA Editions. 2018.

Lewandowsky S, Ecker UK, Seifert CM, Schwarz N, Cook J. Misinformation and Its Correction: Continued Influence and Successful Debiasing. Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2012 Dec;13(3):106-31. DOI: 10.1177/1529100612451018. PMID: 26173286.

Roozenbeek, J, van der Linden S, Nygren, T. Prebunking interventions based on “inoculation” theory can reduce susceptibility to misinformation across cultures. Misinformation Review. February 3, 2020. Last accessed October 5, 2023. https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/global-vaccination-badnews/.

Garcia L, Shane T. A Guide to Prebunking: a Promising Way to Inoculate Against Misinformation. First Draft News. June 29, 2021. Last accessed October 5, 2023. https://misinforeview.hks.harvard.edu/article/global-vaccination-badnews/.

Funk ME. Our words, our story: a textual analysis of articles published in the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association/Journal of the Medical Library Association from 1961 to 2010. J Med Libr Assoc. 2013 Jan;101(1):12-20. DOI: 10.3163/1536-5050.101.1.003. PMID: 23405042; PMCID: PMC3543134.

Martin ER. Social justice and the medical librarian. J Med Libr Assoc. 2019 Jul;107(3):291-303. DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2019.712. Epub 2019 Jul 1. Erratum in: J Med Libr Assoc. 2019 Oct;107(4):638. PMID: 31258435; PMCID: PMC6579597.

Walker P. The library's role in countering infodemics. J Med Libr Assoc. 2021 Jan 1;109(1):133-136. DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2021.1044. PMID: 33424475; PMCID: PMC777299

Akers KG. Report from the Medical Library Association's InSight Initiative Summit 1: Engaging Users in a Disruptive Era. J Med Libr Assoc. 2018 Oct;106(4):554-572. DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2018.561. Epub 2018 Oct 1. PMID: 30271306; PMCID: PMC6148620.

Perry GJ. The activist health sciences librarian. J Med Libr Assoc. 2020 Jan;108(1):5-16. DOI: 10.5195/jmla.2020.859. Epub 2020 Jan 1. PMID: 31897047; PMCID: PMC6920003.

Meisner J. Months After Release from Federal Prison, TV Pitchman Kevin Trudeau Could Face Jail Again. Chicago Tribune. November 30, 2022.

Gehanno JF, Grosjean J, Darmoni SJ, Rollin L. Reliability of citations of medRxiv preprints in articles published on COVID-19 in the world leading medical journals. PLoS One. 2022 Aug 10;17(8):e0264661. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264661. PMID: 35947594; PMCID: PMC9365132.

Resneck J. Turning the Tide Against Medical Disinformation Will Take All of Us. American Medical Association. October 5, 2022. Last accessed October 5, 2023. https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/turning-tide-against-medical-disinformation-will-take-all-us.

Downloads

Published

2024-01-11

Issue

Section

Lectures and Awards