Originally published by The Conversation – Articles (AFRICA) — Read the original article →
During a health crisis, the first instinct is often to give people information. Governments make announcements. Experts explain what is happening. Health departments share information on television, radio, social media and through communities. The idea seems simple: give people the right information, and they can make better decisions.
But does simply providing more information resolve uncertainty, misinformation or public concern?
My research focuses on infodemics: using artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand how misinformation spreads, identify information voids, and analyse the concerns and questions that emerge during a crisis.