The rise of misinformation and the intention to deceive is challenging the way information and news is communicated. People’s consumption of (mis)information has spill over effects – influencing their attitudes and behaviours towards important topics such as COVID-19 and everyday lifestyle decisions.

In this seminar, Prof Heidi Larson, Founding Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, discussed why and how misinformation, myths and rumours proliferated and lingered within society like a parasite. Beyond its negative impacts, the Professor of Anthropology, Risk and Decision Science explored how society could become more resilient by tapping on valuable nuggets of truth which were spread along the (mis)information spread.

Prof Larson was joined by Lisa Robinson, Head of Advisory & Policy at BBC Media Action, in a fireside chat moderated by Dr Yiyun Shou, IPUR Lead Scientist (Health and Lifestyle), to discuss pertinent issues surrounding the causes and effects of misinformation.

The seminar was organised by the LRF Institute for the Public Understanding of Risk in partnership with CTIC. Watch the video recording here!