Reboot in Forbes

For generations, science was one of the few things most people agreed on. No matter their education, political beliefs, or religion, most people trusted scientists, the scientific process, and the results of scientific inquiry. 

Today, the public’s trust in science is eroding, particularly among young people. A recent survey of 13- to 24-year-olds found that 40 percent of them weren’t sure if science helps the world more than it harms it – that’s about 14 percentage points higher than a similar survey of adults found in 2019. In France, trust in science among young people has fallen by 22 points since 1972.

This skepticism, doubt, or outright disbelief in science (and scientists) may be one reason why conspiracy beliefs have become all too common among the public and our civic and business leaders. And it’s led researchers, philosophers, and others to question how society can reel these people back in.

As Lee McIntyre of Boston University’s Center for Philosophy and History of Science put it: How do you talk to a science denier?

As much as the advent of social media has opened up new avenues for discourse, interaction, connection and commerce – there is a flip side to its takeover of popular culture. Left unchecked, social media platforms are now costing us – economically, socially and, most alarmingly – in how they are negatively affecting the mental health of young people.

Given this, it comes as no surprise that people are now launching locally-led and individual efforts to hold social media platforms accountable in the absence of any clear U.S. federal policy or oversight.

It’s past time for federal officials to join them in working to pass policies that both protect the use of social media while better managing its potential for harm. The work and collaboration must be nuanced; it will certainly be contested and controversial, but it can no longer go undone.

It’s that time of the year again when people around the world collectively pledge to eat healthier,exercise more, or take some other action to improve themselves or their lives. However, this year with misinformation and mistrust on the rise, committing to become a stronger critical thinker – one who can decipher fact from fiction and truth from opinion – could be the most helpful New Year resolution one could make.

A cognitive bias can be particularly troublesome when people are pressed for time, emotional, under stress, or feeling impulsive. In other words, during the holiday season. Everyone likes to believe that they have good judgment – be it about a political belief or confidence that they’ve made the best decision possible when purchasing goods or products. But the reality is that retailers and marketers have nearly perfected using our cognitive biases against us to drive sales and increase profits.

Data has become the new “lubricant” that makes our modern economy hum. It’s why data is sometimes called the “new oil,” and like oil, it is essentially useless unless it is refined and turned into something of value to people and businesses. That’s why understanding data, especially how it is tracked, employed and manipulated, is key to navigating the world as a critical thinker. It is a skill we simply cannot neglect.