The Misinformation Virus

In this online age, the internet is a global megaphone, billions
of messages amplified and shared, even when they're false. Fake
science spreads faster than the truth ever could, unhindered by
national boundaries. Mainstream scientists are struggling to
respond. The science journalist and writer, Angela Saini, is
fascinated by how bad ideas spread and in this programme she
investigates the very real impact of online scientific
misinformation. From the dangerous anti-vaccination campaigns to
those who deny the reality of climate change, she assesses the
scale and extent of the threat we face. And she discovers the
sinister world of deliberate disinformation where an army of bots
and trolls work to sow dissent and confusion in the online space.


Producer: Fiona Hill


First broadcast on Tuesday 17 November, 2019.