Episode # 10: The Impact of Mis/Disinformation - An Interview with Yotam Ophir, Ph.D.

Grass Roots Health

Did you notice more mis/disinformation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on social media? Have you noticed how mis/disinformation (and conspiracy theories) are used by certain groups to motivate acts of hate and violence toward our government, towards Black and Brown people, Jews, and other racial and ethnic minorities?

In this episode, Tim Jordan (host), interviews Dr. Yotam Ophir, Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication from the University at Buffalo, New York. Dr. Ophir is originally from Israel. Therefore, his perspectives on U.S. society are “fresh” and unbiased. Listen to the fascinating and far-ranging interview.

Resources for this podcast:

• University at Buffalo Website: buffalo.edu
• Department of Communication at the University at Buffalo: buffalo.edu/cas/communication.html
• Dr. Ophir Yotam’s Website: https://ophiryotam.com/
• Ophir’s Co-Authored Book: “Democracy amid Crises: Polarization, Pandemic, Protests, & Persuasion.” https://a.co/d/5qowYBY on Amazon.

• The Difference Between Misinformation and Disinformation from the American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism-facts/misinformation-disinformation

• How Disinformation is Spread Online: World Economic Forum https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/08/four-ways-disinformation-campaigns-are-propagated-online/

• Research Studies on Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories:

1. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1369118X.2022.2077654
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10410236.2022.2054102?journalCode=hhth20
3. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/09636625211012630
4. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10810730.2021.1899344

• Radio Show Podcast on Proclaim FM 102.3.“The COVID-19 Pandemic: Rumors, Myths, Wives’ Tales, and Conspiracy Theories.” Watch on You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-ZR5hlxQ3k&t=1454s Especially watch from 17:59 to 21:54 to learn about the “Five W’s” of how to evaluate information that you encounter.

• Listen to all episodes of Grass Roots Health at: https://1795group.com/podcast/ You can also listen, wherever people get their podcasts (Apple or Google podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Amazon/Audible, IHeart Radio, TuneIn Radio, etc.)

• Resource Guides and Summaries of Workshops are Available Here: https://1795group.com/buy/

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This episode of Grass Roots Health was sponsored by the 1795 Group: www.1795group.com

Grass Roots Health is produced by Tim Jordan. Dr. Ophir was booked by Afrodite Georgakopoulos. Research was done by Alexandria Williamson. Audio editing and mastering was done by Christopher Stoll of Audio Flare Recording, Toledo, OH: https://www.audioflare.com/