The anti-misinformation movement must not become anti-science

Communities of experts have an indispensable role to play in addressing misinformation. However, some of these efforts have weaponized the term “misinformation” to suppress dissenting viewpoints, risking inadvertently turning the anti-misinformation movement into an anti-science one. The scientific community should instead be asking: how can we cultivate forums that promote discourse according to scientific values and incentivize broad participation in them? Here, we diagnose this problem and propose a number of remedies. Operationalizing precise definitions of misinformation can help curate information in public forums. Certification of trusted organizations by scientific societies can help ensure trustworthy information is incorporated and up-ranked in AI and search algorithms. Professional societies can champion shared principles of scientific debate in public with clear, transparent professional guidelines. Stronger incentives for producing high-quality science communication are also needed. Ensuring inclusive participation by diverse stakeholders is a pre-requisite for legitimate scientific debate and policy-making in a democratic society.