July 06, 2020

Ingesting disinfectants. Burning down 5G towers. Verbally abusing Asian-Americans.

These are just a few of many examples of actions people have taken due to false information circulating in the population alongside SARS-CoV-2. Despite the best efforts of scientists, conspiracy theories and confusion have characterized media consumers’ experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic. The consequences of this disinformation can be just as deadly as the virus around which it is constructed—misplaced fear, mistrust of science, and misunderstanding of safety guidelines are all potential side effects.

With countries beginning to reopen just as adherence to crucial safety guidelines is becoming increasingly politicized, knowledge about how this disinformation spreads is equally as important as knowledge about the spread of COVID-19.

professional photo of Sam MalloyThankfully, Director of the Ohio State Battelle Center Dr. Elizabeth Newton and her research team are up to the task. Dr. Newton and her team, including experts such as Sam Malloy, Dr. Joe Tien, and Dr. Seth Faith, recently received a COVID-19 Seed Grant from the Office of Research for their project to examine the risk that disinformation presents in the immediate context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

IDI asked Sam Malloy more about this project and how the team is continuing to conduct research in the middle of a pandemic.

What initially inspired your project?

While our team was working on a geospatial application during the height of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year, we became aware of the extraordinary volume of online dis/misinformation that was prolonging the duration of the outbreak and increasing its social, political, and economic costs. This experience was front of mind as we began to see the indicators of a likely pandemic earlier this year. As we conducted the thought experiments of what might play out as the outbreak expanded, we realized that a perfect storm existed (due to polarization, tense international relations, etc.) for the propagation and amplification of dis/misinformation and that this content would have incredibly detrimental consequences during the course of the pandemic.

What is the goal of your project?

The goal of our project is to characterize COVID-19 disinformation in real time and to assess the risk that this disinformation presents in the distinct geographic contexts in which it appears.

Does this project relate to any research or work you were doing before the pandemic? If so, how?

Several investigators on our team have previously worked in the infectious disease modeling and biosecurity space, and several others bring expertise in examining harmful online content in the context of elections and other core matters of democracy. As a cohesive unit, we are well positioned to tackle this challenge.

Have you had to adjust any of your normal research practices to accommodate the stay-at-home order?

Fortunately, we are primarily in silico, so we do not have to worry about specimens thawing in the freezer or anything escaping from our offices while we are away.

Do you expect the findings from your project will have a lasting impact beyond responding to the COVID-19 pandemic?

I think our approach can be applied to risk assessments of weaponized information in several important public affairs settings, including elections, vaccination campaigns, and radicalization.

Outside of developing research projects, what have you been doing to cope with COVID-19?

I have found it very helpful to have a routine and to immerse myself in the work. Inexplicably, time continues to pass! I did take a break to watch Groundhog Day yesterday.

 

Written by Brooke Zentmeyer.

 

Sam Malloy is a Researcher at The Ohio State University’s Battelle Center for Science, Engineering, and Public Policy.

Dr. Seth Faith is the Strategic Alliance Officer at the Infectious Diseases Institute.

Dr. Elizabeth Newton is an associate professor of practice in the Department of Integrated Systems Engineering and director of The Ohio State University’s Battelle Center for Science, Engineering, and Public Policy.

Dr. Joe Tien is an associate professor in the Department of Mathematics and a co-director of the Infectious Diseases Institute’s Ecology, Epidemiology, and Population Health program.

 

Read more interviews with IDI members who received COVID-19 Seed Grant funding from the Office of Research.

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