Our changing information ecosystem for science and why it matters for effective science communication

Area of Science:

• Science Communication
• Information Ecology
• Media Studies

Background:

• The evolving media landscape presents both opportunities and challenges for science communication.
• The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for effective public engagement with science.
• Existing social media structures create barriers for researchers seeking to gather reliable data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the transformation of the public sphere for science in response to media evolution.
• To connect these transformations to the context of COVID-19.
• To identify strategies for scientific organizations to improve science communication in the digital age.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of information ecologies and their impact on science communication.
• Examination of social media platform dynamics and data access asymmetries.
• Review of challenges faced by scientific organizations in adapting to new media.

Main Results:

• Social media platforms often prevent researchers from obtaining reliable data crucial for institutional improvement.
• Studies on echo chambers and filter bubbles illustrate these data access limitations.
• Scientific organizations struggle to adapt due to inherent asymmetries in current information environments.

Conclusions:

• Improving the evidence base for science communication necessitates access to proprietary data.
• Information ecologies should be reconceptualized as dynamic social systems.
• Researchers must avoid ceding core tasks to platforms, address ethical concerns, and act with urgency.