Communication between Science, the Public and the Media (Phase 2): Importance, Chances and Risks of Social Media

Background and aims

Science and the media are among the pillars of any democratic society. They inform government and the public, strengthen education and public knowledge, and stimulate democratic debate. But how does the relationship between science, the media and the public actually work? In a two-year project entitled “The Relationship between Science, the Public and the Media”, a group of experts formulated a series of recommendations ‘On Designing Communication between the Scientific Community, the Public and the Media’.

The second phase of the project is now turning the spotlight on social media. Social media and social networking have enormous potential for communicating science. They enable flexible switching between the roles of communicator and recipient or user. At the same time, they blur the boundaries between public and private communication. Information communicated in the mass media can now be shared, modified and commented on by individuals.

The key question addressed by the project is how the specific characteristics of social media affect the generation and communication of scientific content. The project aims to quantify the opportunities associated with these new technologies more accurately (e.g. wider reach, increased participation, interactivity), as well as identifying and assessing specific risks (e.g. inadequate quality control, disinformation, mainstreaming and fragmentation). An overview of current international research in this field will also be produced, with a particular focus on science communication.

Further Information

Blog Science Communication to the power of 3 (link to German web site)