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CATEGORIES:Computer Laboratory Security Seminar
SUMMARY:Fighting cancer and fake news: A battle against mi
 sinformation - Alice Hutchings (University of Camb
 ridge)
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20250318T140000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20250318T150000
UID:TALK227593AThttp://talks.cam.ac.uk
URL:http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/227593
DESCRIPTION:Cancer-related medical misinformation is a wicked 
 problem\, deeply embedded in social\, cultural\, a
 nd technical systems. It represents a deliberate a
 nd profit-driven phenomenon\, perpetuated by bad a
 ctors exploiting online platforms and societal vul
 nerabilities. Cancer misinformation thrives on inf
 ormation asymmetry\, where creators hold an inform
 ational advantage over their audience. Bad actors 
 exploit this imbalance by distorting facts and con
 cealing critical context\, preying on knowledge ga
 ps and fear and uncertainty following a diagnosis.
  Drawing from signalling theory\, we will explore 
 how misinformation creators mimic trustworthy sign
 als like expertise (e.g.\, impersonating professio
 nals)\, consensus (e.g.\, fake reviews)\, and fami
 liarity (e.g.\, mimicking reputable formats)\, man
 ipulating audiences into accepting their claims as
  credible. These individuals and organisations man
 ipulate trust\, emotions\, and gaps in knowledge\,
  fostering harmful behaviours and undermining publ
 ic health efforts. Social media's monetisation sys
 tems incentivise engagement over accuracy\, perpet
 uating a vicious cycle of distrust in conventional
  medicine. Cancer misinformation leads to devastat
 ing outcomes\, including delays in treatment\, fin
 ancial exploitation\, and diminished trust in heal
 thcare systems. Understanding medical misinformati
 on tactics and the structural mechanisms enabling 
 misinformation is critical to devising effective i
 nterventions that address its root causes. This ta
 lk explores the roots\, proliferation\, and impact
 s of cancer-related misinformation\, focusing on i
 ts mimicking of trust signals\, dissemination thro
 ugh digital ecosystems\, and profound consequences
  for patients and caregivers.\n\nZoom link: \nhttp
 s://cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/j/83142055830?pwd=tVRAsZyuo4
 LMFR0RinDBY8YHmpwqTY.1\n
LOCATION:Webinar &amp\; LT2\, Computer Laboratory\, William
  Gates Building.
CONTACT:Anna Talas
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