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.
Head of Editorial, DOAJUnited Kingdom
Matt joined Hindawi in London in 2016 as Head of Research Integrity, overseeing the publication ethics processes and policies and managing the Research Integrity Manager and a team of Research Integrity Specialists. He was Head of Editorial Policy and Ethics from 2020-22. From 2022-24, he worked at the charity UKRIO as a Research Integrity Manager, advising researchers and institutions and managing social media.