A call to action for librarians: Countering conspiracy theories in the age of QAnon

Beene, Stephanie; Greer, Katie

doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2020.102292

Cited by 19 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…shows that the future potential for what happened had really been there in the past" (2010, p. 57). Threat reaching forward and backward in time and space works to proliferate conspiracy theories like QAnon (Lim, 2022;Leal, 2020;LaFrance, 2020), aiding in its mainstreaming (Uscinski, 2022;Bloom and Moskalenko, 2022;Garry et al, 2021;Beene and Greer, 2021).…”

Section: Information Disordermentioning

confidence: 99%

Library workers on the front lines of conspiracy theories in the US: one nationwide survey

Beene

Greer

2023

RSR

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PurposeThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether and in what ways library workers in the United States encountered patrons espousing beliefs in conspiracy theories and, if so, to explore the effectiveness of the strategies they used to address information disorder during the interactions.Design/methodology/approachThe study was designed with an exploratory qualitative approach. Data were collected via an online survey posted to national and state library association listservs, utilizing a self-selected sampling method. Researchers inductively and deductively analyzed results, developing predetermined themes based on the research questions, then iteratively integrating unexpected data during coding.FindingsA total of 334 responses were received over two weeks. Data represent library workers from 43 states and Washington, D.C., including various types of libraries. Library workers interacted with patrons with conspiratorial thinking, and both library workers and patrons evidenced a range of emotions and motivations.Originality/valueThis is the first national study to survey library workers and whether they encountered patrons espousing conspiracy theories. While the sample size is small, themes elucidate various strategies that library workers use for interacting with patrons who express some level of conspiracy ideation.

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Section: Information Disordermentioning

confidence: 99%

Library workers on the front lines of conspiracy theories in the US: one nationwide survey

Beene

Greer

2023

RSR

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“…Many people believe this assumption because teachers consciously or unconsciously encourage this view. Evidence that teachers reinforce this view is shown by the absence of opportunities given to students to reflect and criticize what is being learned (Beene & Greer, 2021;Prahmana & Ambrosio, 2020;Zhang et al, 2020). The process of redefining the role of mathematics education requires teachers to see themselves as facilitators of the teaching and learning process, not as authorities and communicators of knowledge.…”

Section: The Role Of Mathematics Education In the Development Of Prof...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Promoting the Pancasila Students’ Profiles through Mathematics Education in Schools: Ethnomathematics Roles

Hendriyanto

Juandi

Kuncoro

et al. 2023

JPP

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“…However, this view fails to distinguish between healthy scepticism and dysfunctional cynicism, whereby the latter is associated with lower trust in news media generally (Quiring et al, 2021). Moreover, the rhetoric of critical thinking may be adopted by those promoting conspiratorial beliefs who encourage people to "do your own research" and "ask questions" about, for example, the legitimacy of scientific evidence (Beene & Greer, 2021).…”

Section: Critical Thinkingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Countering Misinformation: Evidence, Knowledge Gaps, and Implications of Current Interventions

Roozenbeek¹,

Suiter²,

Culloty³

2022

Preprint

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Developing effective interventions to counter misinformation is an urgent goal, but it also presents conceptual, empirical, and practical difficulties, compounded by the fact that misinformation research is in its infancy. This paper provides researchers and policymakers with an overview of which individual-level interventions are likely to have an influence on the spread of, susceptibility to, or impact of misinformation. We review the evidence for the effectiveness of four categories of interventions: boosting (psychological inoculation, critical thinking, and media and information literacy); nudging (accuracy primes and social norms nudges); debunking (fact-checking); and automated content labelling. In each area, we assess the empirical evidence, key gaps in knowledge, and practical considerations. We conclude with a series of recommendations for policymakers and tech companies to ensure a comprehensive approach to tackling misinformation.

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A call to action for librarians: Countering conspiracy theories in the age of QAnon

Cited by 19 publications

References 47 publications

Library workers on the front lines of conspiracy theories in the US: one nationwide survey

Library workers on the front lines of conspiracy theories in the US: one nationwide survey

Promoting the Pancasila Students’ Profiles through Mathematics Education in Schools: Ethnomathematics Roles

Countering Misinformation: Evidence, Knowledge Gaps, and Implications of Current Interventions

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