Evaluating Health Information

Hausman reveals that vaccine skepticism is, in part, a critique of medicalization and a warning about the dangers of modern medicine rather than a glib and gullible reaction to scaremongering and misunderstanding.

The coronavirus pandemic that began in 2019 brought to the fore the presence of a significant minority of individuals who strongly oppose vaccination. This opposition is by no means recent. Ever since the very first attempts to immunize individuals, opposition has been intense in some societies. The reasons for this opposition range from religious to political to medical. Although vaccines have eliminated smallpox and largely eliminated polio and measles, opposition to vaccination persists and, in some countries, has grown stronger.A History of Vaccines and Their Opponents seeks to describe the history of this opposition as well as its changing rationale over the years and in different societies. The discussion may ultimately provide some suggestions for reducing hesitancy in the future. Demonstrates vaccine hesitancy is not new and is widespread around the world Presents the history of the opposition to immunization Provides counterarguments to the opposition today

In this book established researchers draw on a range of theoretical and empirical perspectives to examine social media's impact on American politics. Chapters critically examine activism in the digital age, fake news, online influence, messaging tactics, news transparency and authentication, consumers' digital habits and ultimately the societal impacts that continue to be created by combining social media and politics. Through this book readers will better understand and approach with questions such as: * How exactly and why did social media become a powerful factor in politics? * What responsibilities do social networks have in the proliferation of factually wrong and hate-filled messages? Or should individuals be held accountable? * What are the state-of-the-art of computational techniques for measuring and determining social media's impact on society? * What role does online activism play in today's political arena? * What does the potent combination of social media and politics truly mean for the future of democracy? The insights and debates found herein provide a stronger understanding of the core issues and steer us toward improved curriculum and research aimed at a better democracy. Democracy in the Disinformation Age: Influence and Activism in American Politics will appeal to both undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as academics with an interest in areas including political science, media studies, mass communication, PR, and journalism.

Misinformation and disinformation can spread like wildfire online, and the consequences are becoming increasingly serious as more people read and believe the false claims they see. Finding a solution among multiple stakeholders has proven to be challenging. Specific solutions, the rationale behind these ideas, how they are supposed to work, and views on their strengths and weaknesses are discussed.