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Tomassi A, Falegnami A, Romano E. Mapping automatic social media information disorder. The role of bots and AI in spreading misleading information in society. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0303183. [PMID: 38820281 PMCID: PMC11142451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
This paper presents an analysis on information disorder in social media platforms. The study employed methods such as Natural Language Processing, Topic Modeling, and Knowledge Graph building to gain new insights into the phenomenon of fake news and its impact on critical thinking and knowledge management. The analysis focused on four research questions: 1) the distribution of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation across different platforms; 2) recurring themes in fake news and their visibility; 3) the role of artificial intelligence as an authoritative and/or spreader agent; and 4) strategies for combating information disorder. The role of AI was highlighted, both as a tool for fact-checking and building truthiness identification bots, and as a potential amplifier of false narratives. Strategies proposed for combating information disorder include improving digital literacy skills and promoting critical thinking among social media users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Tomassi
- Engineering Faculty, Uninettuno International Telematic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Falegnami
- Engineering Faculty, Uninettuno International Telematic University, Rome, Italy
| | - Elpidio Romano
- Engineering Faculty, Uninettuno International Telematic University, Rome, Italy
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Forde H, Penney TL, White M, Adams J. Is Reformulation Still a Suitable Goal for Sugary Beverage Taxes? A Response to Recent Commentaries. Int J Health Policy Manag 2023; 12:8366. [PMID: 38618760 PMCID: PMC10843395 DOI: 10.34172/ijhpm.2023.8366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Forde
- Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Tarra L. Penney
- School of Global Health, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Martin White
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Jean Adams
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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Koon AD, Marten R. Framing health taxes: a scoping review. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e012055. [PMID: 37813439 PMCID: PMC10565303 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Health taxes are increasingly positioned as effective policy instruments for curbing non-communicable disease, improving health and raising government revenues. Their allure has caused many health advocates to look beyond tobacco and alcohol to other harmful products such as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), salty foods, fatty foods and fossil fuels. These efforts, however, directly conflict with commercial actors' interests. Both pro-tax health advocates and anti-tax industry representatives seek to frame health tax policy in favourable ways. Yet, little is known about which types of frames resonate in which settings, or how they deploy morals and values in their attempts to persuade. To fill this gap, we conducted a scoping review on framing health taxes using six databases in 2022. A total of 40 peer-reviewed empirical research articles, from 2006 to 2022, were identified from 20 different countries. Most research was conducted in high-income countries, published in the last 4 years and increasingly focused on excise taxes for SSBs. Studies captured multiple actors constructing context-specific frames, often tied to broader economic, health and administrative considerations. Actors also engaged in a range of political activities in addition to framing. We found some evidence that anti-tax framing strategies potentially incorporated a broader array of morals and social values. More in-country comparative research, particularly from low/middle-income countries, is needed to understand the politics of framing health taxes. We argue that these insights can improve efforts to advance health taxes by constraining corporate power, improving population level health and promoting greater social harmony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam D Koon
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert Marten
- Secretariat, WHO Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, Geneva, Switzerland
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Zenone M, Snyder J, Bélisle-Pipon JC, Caulfield T, van Schalkwyk M, Maani N. Advertising Alternative Cancer Treatments and Approaches on Meta Social Media Platforms: Content Analysis. JMIR INFODEMIOLOGY 2023; 3:e43548. [PMID: 37256649 DOI: 10.2196/43548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternative cancer treatment is associated with a greater risk of death than cancer patients undergoing conventional treatments. Anecdotal evidence suggests cancer patients view paid advertisements promoting alternative cancer treatment on social media, but the extent and nature of this advertising remain unknown. This context suggests an urgent need to investigate alternative cancer treatment advertising on social media. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to systematically analyze the advertising activities of prominent alternative cancer treatment practitioners on Meta platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and Audience Network. We specifically sought to determine (1) whether paid advertising for alternative cancer treatment occurs on Meta social media platforms, (2) the strategies and messages of alternative cancer providers to reach and appeal to prospective patients, and (3) how the efficacy of alternative treatments is portrayed. METHODS Between December 6, 2021, and December 12, 2021, we collected active advertisements from alternative cancer clinics using the Meta Ad Library. The information collected included identification number, URL, active/inactive status, dates launched/ran, advertiser page name, and a screenshot (image) or recording (video) of the advertisement. We then conducted a content analysis to determine how alternative cancer providers communicate the claimed benefits of their services and evaluated how they portrayed alternative cancer treatment efficacy. RESULTS We identified 310 paid advertisements from 11 alternative cancer clinics on Meta (Facebook, Instagram, or Messenger) marketing alternative treatment approaches, care, and interventions. Alternative cancer providers appealed to prospective patients through eight strategies: (1) advertiser representation as a legitimate medical provider (n=289, 93.2%); (2) appealing to persons with limited treatments options (n=203, 65.5%); (3) client testimonials (n=168, 54.2%); (4) promoting holistic approaches (n=121, 39%); (5) promoting messages of care (n=81, 26.1%); (6) rhetoric related to science and research (n=72, 23.2%); (7) rhetoric pertaining to the latest technology (n=63, 20.3%); and (8) focusing treatment on cancer origins and cause (n=43, 13.9%). Overall, 25.8% (n=80) of advertisements included a direct statement claiming provider treatment can cure cancer or prolong life. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide evidence alternative cancer providers are using Meta advertising products to market scientifically unsupported cancer treatments. Advertisements regularly referenced "alternative" and "natural" treatment approaches to cancer. Imagery and text content that emulated evidence-based medical providers created the impression that the offered treatments were effective medical options for cancer. Advertisements exploited the hope of patients with terminal and poor prognoses by sharing testimonials of past patients who allegedly were cured or had their lives prolonged. We recommend that Meta introduce a mandatory, human-led authorization process that is not reliant upon artificial intelligence for medical-related advertisers before giving advertising permissions. Further research should focus on the conflict of interest between social media platforms advertising products and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Zenone
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jeremy Snyder
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - May van Schalkwyk
- Faculty of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nason Maani
- Global Health Policy Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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Oddo VM, Knox MA, Pinero Walkinshaw L, Saelens BE, Chan N, Jones-Smith JC. Evaluation of Seattle's sweetened beverage tax on tax support and perceived economic and health impacts. Prev Med Rep 2022; 27:101809. [PMID: 35656219 PMCID: PMC9152812 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
It is important to understand whether the publics' attitudes towards sugary beverage taxes (SBT) change after tax implementation to ensure the long-term success of tax policies. Seattle's SBT went into effect on January 1, 2018. We administered a mixed-mode survey to adults in Seattle and comparison areas, pre- and 2-years post-tax, to evaluate the impact of the SBT on 1) tax support and 2) perceived tax impacts (N = 2,933). Using a difference-in-differences approach, we employed adjusted income-stratified modified Poisson models to test the impacts of the tax on net changes in attitudes in Seattle versus the comparison areas, pre- to post-tax. Among lower-income individuals in Seattle, support for the tax increased by 14% (PRDD: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.21) and there was a 20% net-increase in the perception that the SBT would positively affect the economy (PRDD: 1.20; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.39), compared to changes in the comparison areas. Among higher-income individuals in Seattle, support for the tax was not different (PRDD: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.70, 1.22) pre- to post-tax, but there was a net-increase in the perception that the tax would have negative effects on small businesses (PRDD: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.00) and family finances (PRDD: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.19). After living with the tax for 2-years, support for the tax increased among lower-income individuals in Seattle. Tax support was high and unchanged among higher-income individuals, but overall attitudes became more negative. Policy makers should consider investing in ongoing campaigns that explain the benefits of SSB taxes and revenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa M. Oddo
- University of Illinois Chicago, College of Applied Health Sciences, Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Melissa A. Knox
- University of Washington, Department of Economics, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Lina Pinero Walkinshaw
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brian E. Saelens
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, USA
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Nadine Chan
- Public Health - Seattle and King County, Seattle, WA, USA
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Jessica C. Jones-Smith
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Department of Health Systems and Population Health, Seattle, WA, USA
- University of Washington School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology, Seattle, WA, USA
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Saito K, Ai T, Kawai A, Matsui J, Fukushima Y, Kikukawa N, Kyoutou T, Chonan M, Kawakami T, Hosaka Y, Misawa S, Takagi H, Matsushita Y, Hiki M, Okuzawa A, Hori S, Naito T, Miida T, Takahashi K, Tabe Y. Performance and usefulness of a novel automated immunoassay HISCL SARS-CoV-2 Antigen assay kit for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23196. [PMID: 34853366 PMCID: PMC8636628 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02636-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of a novel automated immunoassay HISCL SARS-CoV-2 Antigen assay kit designed to detect the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This kit comprises automated chemiluminescence detection systems. Western blot analysis confirmed that anti-SARS-CoV antibodies detected SARS-CoV-2N proteins. The best cut-off index was determined, and clinical performance was tested using 115 nasopharyngeal swab samples obtained from 46 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 69 individuals who tested negative for COVID-19 through reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The HISCL Antigen assay kit showed a sensitivity of 95.4% and 16.6% in samples with copy numbers > 100 and < 99, respectively. The kit did not cross-react with human coronaviruses causing seasonal common cold and influenza, and none of the 69 individuals without COVID-19 were diagnosed with positive results. Importantly, 81.8% of the samples with low virus load (< 50 copy numbers) were diagnosed as negative. Thus, using HISCL antigen assay kits may reduce overdiagnosis compared with RT-qPCR tests. The rapid and high-throughput HISCL SARS-CoV-2 Antigen assay kit developed here proved suitable for screening infectious COVID-19 and may help control the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Saito
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Tomohiko Ai
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Akinori Kawai
- Clinical Innovation, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan
| | - Jun Matsui
- LS Medical Affairs, Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan
| | | | | | | | - Masayoshi Chonan
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Juntendo University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeaki Kawakami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Juntendo University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshie Hosaka
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Juntendo University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeki Misawa
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Juntendo University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Haruhi Takagi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasushi Matsushita
- Department of Internal Medicine and Rheumatology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Makoto Hiki
- Emergency and Disaster Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Cardiovascular Biology and Medicine, Juntendo University Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Okuzawa
- Department of Coloproctological Surgery, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Hori
- Department of Infection Control Science, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshio Naito
- Department of General Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Miida
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Takahashi
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoko Tabe
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8421, Japan. .,Department of Next Generation Hematology Laboratory Medicine, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
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