The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that social media can be a powerful ally for science communication. Sadly, it has also shown that social media can be dangerous and even backfire. During the COVID-19 pandemic and also previously in disciplines such as gender identity research and climate science we saw experts explaining their work to the public, but also polarisation, misinformation spread by scientists who lacked expertise, and even harassment among peers following publication of results. This may harm scientific debate and science communication. How could we improve this climate so social media is used in a more positive sense?
Matt Hodgkinson will reflect on the use and ethics of social media by editors/journals and authors after which Ines Steffens will chair a discussion with a panel of EASE members.
Editor in chief, EurosurveillanceSweden
Ines is the Editor-in-chief of the scientific journal Eurosurveillance published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in Stockholm Sweden. Affiliated with Eurosurveillance initially as an editorial advisor from 2003 onwards, she became its managing editor in 2006 and editor in chief in 2011.
United Kingdom
I am on COPE Council and I am EASE Treasurer. I was previously Head of Research Integrity at Hindawi and an editor at BMC and PLOS, then a Research Integrity Manager with UKRIO.