Professor Magda Osman on Misinformation

Why might seeking to ban misinformation, be a bad idea? On this episode, I’m returning to a subject I’ve looked at before, with a guest I’ve spoken to before!

She’s Professor Magda Osman — if you’ve not heard her previous experiences, there are links below to those and her bio – and, as ever, she’s got some fascinating insights. The topic is Misinformation.

On the face of it, trying to ban mis- or disinformation seems like a good idea. If we know something is likely to mislead people then we should surely look at restricting or banning it. That’s why most countries regulate advertising.

But what if I told you that there might be a good reason not to ban it? That’s the (perhaps surprising) conclusion that Magda’s research has produced.

So, in this episode, I’m delving back into the topic of misinformation and disinformation - what they are, how they're regulated, and how they impact society.

And Magda helps me to think about whether labelling any dissenting information as misinformation and banning it from communication is the right approach.

We explore the tenuous connection between beliefs and actions and how exposure to false news or misinformation does not necessarily lead to negative behaviour.

Plus we discuss the challenges of determining what is true and what is not, particularly when it comes to scientific discoveries, and the consequences of intentional distortion of facts for profit.

Finally, our conversation moves into an area I wasn’t expecting, but which is related and fascinating. Does adding more labels to food packaging help people make better choices and can it actually change consumer behaviour?

If you’ve heard Magda before you’ll know that you’re in for a treat. If you haven’t, then remember to check out her previous appearances.

Background
Magda is a Professor in Basic and Applied Decision-Making at the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge and the Visiting Professor of Policy Impact at Leeds Business School, part of the University of Leeds.

You can read more about Magda and her work on her faculty page here: https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/network/magda-osman/

And on her personal website here: https://www.magdaosman.com/

In her most recent appearance on the show, earlier this year, she talked about Compliance, Coercion & Competence. You can hear that episode here: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/professor-magda-osman-on-compliance-coercion-competence/

Magda first appeared on the show in 2020 when she talked about behavioural interventions that had failed and what we can learn from them. You’ll find that here: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/dr-magda-osman-on-behavioural/

Then in 2021, she returned to talk about Unconscious Bias. You’ll find that here: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/dr-magda-osman-on-unconscious/

To hear the previous episode of the show on Misinformation, with another Cambridge Professor, Sander Van Der Linden: https://www.humanriskpodcast.com/professor-sander-van-der-linden-on-misinformation/

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