Combatting Networks of Ignorance in the Misinformation Age
Our interdisciplinary research team aims to understand why truth and knowledge can give way to misinformation and ignorance, even in communities of rational agents. Achieving this understanding will enable effective action to be taken.
Ignorance is an evil weed, which dictators may cultivate among their dupes, but which no democracy can afford among its citizens.
– William Beveridge, founder of the British welfare state
Research Overview
Preliminaries
We begin by articulating the distinctive methodology we employ, and reporting novel findings regarding the ways in which social network structures can affect the levels of knowledge and ignorance within a community.
Group Attitudes
In this aspect of our research, we exploit insights from network science to explore novel ways of thinking about group of agents as a whole, and the attitudes (such as belief and knowledge) they exhibit.
Higher-Order Evidence
In another major part of our project, we look at the ways in which agents can respond to evidence regarding their informational environment to support their epistemic goals
Our Research in Practice
Our work engages an important societal issue, namely, how misinformation and ignorance can persist and even prevail within social networks. We aim to substantiate concerns that this problem arises even for those who reason in accordance with the requirements of rationality (e.g. those articulated by Thomas Bayes, pictured opposite). If so, many stakeholders will need to work together to ensure that our informational environment is conducive to sound collective decision-making.
“I am delighted to be leading the outstanding research team on this interdisciplinary research project, and to be engaging with stakeholders in the information sharing economy, where our findings can be most relevantly applied.” Brian Ball, PI
